The Air Transport Association (ATA) says the Waxman-Markey climate change bill currently before the U.S. Congress is a "punitive one-size-fits-all approach".
ATA President and CEO James C. May said, “This cap-and-trade bill creates an onerous fuel tax on the airline industry. Fuel costs will skyrocket, hindering the ability of U.S. airlines to continue to improve their environmental performance through fleet modernization and technological advances, (so) weakening their ability to compete in the global markets.”
May also noted conflicting views within the proposed legislation citing a a reference that the U.S. should actively promote, within the International Civil Aviation Organization, the fair development of a global framework for the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from commercial aircraft.
“These conflicting views in the Waxman-Markey legislation indicate clearly that, at least as to aviation, far more work needs to be done to construct the right approach to dealing with climate change. What we have now just does not make sense,” he added.
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) also says GHG emissions are "best reduced through a multi-faceted approach that includes operational advances, technology improvements, infrastructure investments, alternative fuels and economic measures.”
ACI-NA acknowledges that its members believe it is necessary to reduce GHG emissions from aircraft sources.
The ACI-NA echoes the ATA by suggesting the U.S. and Canada work with other governments to “incorporate the true environmental and economic costs of GHG emissions into the price of energy through the development of appropriate economic measures.” The organization says its latest statement is in response to public debate in both North America and at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“ACI-NA undertook this initiative to build on goals adopted by our Board earlier this year and to further the industry’s proactive commitment to improving the overall environmental performance of airports,” said ACI-NA President Greg Principato.
The North American airport group published its climate change mitigation goals in February 2009. There's a lot of striving:
1. Convert airport-owned and operated ground vehicles and GSE to low emission vehicles with an industry-wide average goal of 50 percent of vehicle conversion by 2019
2. By 2010, every member will strive to implement an incentive program to encourage taxi, shuttle, limo, and rental car companies to use low emission vehicles.
3. Half of its membership will strive to provide low emission vehicle support infrastructure by 2019.
4. By 2014, every member will strive to implement an energy conservation program that includes adoption of an airport-specific goal to reduce non-renewable energy consumption.
5. Every member will strive to have at least 25% of their loading bridges equipped with pre-conditioned air and 400 Hz electrification by 2019.
6. Half of its members will strive to provide incentives and/or reduced fee parking for low emission passenger vehicles by 2011.
7. Half of its members will strive to conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventories by 2015.
Air Cargo World will publish preliminary results of 2008 cargo activity at ACI's Top 50 airports in its July 2009 print issue and subsequently online.