Sustainable aviation starts with sustainable policy

AMSTERDAM (August 18, 2008) – SANE (Sustainable Aviation Network Europe) organizes on September 1 the conference “Sustainable Aviation: Sound and Climate in Perspective” in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

AMSTERDAM (August 18, 2008) – SANE (Sustainable Aviation Network Europe) organizes on September 1 the conference “Sustainable Aviation: Sound and Climate in Perspective” in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. International guests speak about climate measures, like the proposal for the inclusion of aviation in the European Emissions Trading Scheme, about biofuels and also about sound annoyance. High-level representatives from both EU and US airlines and European policymakers will share their views, and facts will be made available that can help establish a better policy, which is the starting point of sustainable aviation.

The speakers during the conference include Jan Ernst de Groot (managing director and member of the board, KLM), Nancy Young (vice president Environmental Affairs, Air Transport Association of America) and David Batchelor (policy officer, DG Energy & Transport European Commission).

EU ETS

The ambition of the EU to impose the EU ETS on all airlines visiting Europe will lead to lots of legal activity, which may cause delays in its implementation. Moreover, the directive suffers from a fundamental flaw. The EU scheme doesn’t take into account the fact that aviation has a built-in efficiency driver. The net result is the scheme will raise the cost of aviation without adding to its efficiency. But there is time available to modify the EU ETS so that it will be a system that actually works and, therefore, will be acceptable to responsible airlines worldwide.

Biofuels

An interesting part of the program will be the presentation on second- and third-generation biofuels. Especially, aviation fuel made of algae could offer some real benefits. Within a couple of years, an amount of fuel sufficient to cover the need of all of the world’s airlines could be produced from algae.

Sound annoyance

Until recently, operating procedures around airports were designed to minimize the sound impact of aviation. But now the time has come to also address the factor of climate impact in our decisions. A balance between sound and climate has to be found when approving new operating procedures. This SANE conference aims to provide the latest insights in this matter.

SANE offers complimentary registration to professional journalists to gather news and information to produce editorial coverage of the conference. To register as a media delegate for the conference, please send an email to Yvonne Hof, [email protected]

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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