A change of flight plan

I believe that delivering sustainable aviation is one of the biggest challenges the global aerospace industry has to meet. In the UK, aviation and the environment are high on the political agenda and the industry has become a target for environmental campaigners.

I think it is fair to say that for most of the past 30 years the main focus for environmental concern was the impact of aircraft noise and emissions on those living near increasingly busy airports. In the last few years that has changed and today the greatest challenge we face is minimising the impact aviation has on climate change.

The recent Stern report highlights the overwhelming scientific evidence for the risks associated with climate change and the need for an urgent global response. It says that aviation CO

emissions currently account for less than two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and suggests this would rise to less than three per cent by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario.