Seeing red on green taxes

Airlines are in crisis. In five years fuel has gone from 14 per cent of operating costs to more than 34 per cent. If oil prices average $135 for the rest of the year, the industry bill will be $190bn (£99m). And next year it could be more than $250bn. There is no alternative to kerosene. Saving fuel not only reduces CO

emissions — it is a matter of survival.

IATA's environment leadership is delivering results after working with our members to implement best practice in fuel management. In 2007 this saved 6.7 million tonnes of CO

and $1.3bn. Our work with governments and air navigation service providers meant optimising 395 routes and procedures in 81 airports, saving 3.8 million tonnes of CO

and $831m in costs. With better air traffic management, up to 73 million tonnes of CO

could be saved but while painting themselves green to win votes governments are slow to deliver results.