Aviation bosses plan pollution cut
Updated on 06 May 2009
Aviation chiefs showed off their green credentials by explaining how they planned to make planes grow quieter and less polluting.
In future, planes could reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 30%, Rolls-Royce vice president Robert Nuttall told an aviation and climate change conference in London.
And Sir Roger Bone, president of planemaker Boeing UK, spoke of the role aviation was playing in reducing emissions.
Mr Nuttall said: "Aeroplane engine technology is able to improve carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and noise as a package.
"Technologies already on the drawing board show potential to reduce carbon dioxide by 30%, nitrogen oxide by 60% and noise by 15 to 20 decibels by 2020."
Sir Roger said: "The benefits of aviation are often overlooked in the broad environmental debate in the UK and even more so the role that the industry is playing in terms of achieving a carbon neutral growth path.
"The industry's efforts, vigorously supported by Boeing are wide ranging and include aircraft development, improvements to air traffic management systems as well as the development and trials of biofuels."
Christian Dumas, vice president of sustainability and eco-efficiency for European planemaker Airbus, said: "The role of aircraft design and innovation is crucial in reducing aviation's carbon emissions. We are very positive about the future."
Charles Grant, director of EU think-tank the Centre for European Reform, said: "The EU is currently developing a complex and sophisticated tool - the Emissions Trading Scheme - to limit emissions. The scheme will factor in a price for carbon which will give airlines and aircraft engine manufacturers incentives to introduce low-carbon technologies as soon as possible."
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