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  Business Times 4 Apr 07
Time for aviation players to engage in green debate
 By Stephen Forshaw

WE in the aviation industry, know the upside of what we do. The industry generates significant economic activity, creates jobs, and provides the arteries that feed the global tourism industry.

We are now being reminded that what we do also comes at some cost to the environment.

It is unfortunate and incorrect that some in the environmental lobby pervade a view that aviation is one of the world's worst polluters. But if a cloud has a silver lining, this one serves to act as a wake-up call to us: those who spread these messages will only be successful if we allow their arguments to stand, unchallenged.

When Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, says that 'making selfish choices such as flying on holiday are a symptom of sin', our industry has a perception problem.

I submit that the threat of excessive environmental regulation (including new 'green taxes') is one of the greatest challenges now confronting us as an industry. It has the potential to severely curtail growth.

That challenge becomes all the more difficult if we don't engage in the debate, countering with the positive story that we have to tell.

I submit, until recently, we have not been doing so.

However, we also have to balance our arguments with the wider community's demand that we improve our act.

The aviation industry represents just 2 per cent of global emissions. Even among transport-related emissions, our share is dwarfed by those from the land transport sector.

So, even if our industry ceased to exist tomorrow, the environmental 'improvement' would be negligible.

Few industries can boast our progress in improved environmental performance over time. Compare the next generation of aircraft (like the A380 and B787) with those from even 20 years ago, and every indicator is moving in favour of the environment: noise, emissions, waste, fuel consumption, efficiency, to name a few.

While it's very easy to quantify the economic benefits that flow from aviation - the 29 million people (and rising) whose jobs depend on aviation and the US$2.9 trillion of economic activity supported by air transport - the real benefit lies in connecting people.

Families, dispersed throughout the world, meet each other again - often in airport arrival halls. Contracts are sealed between businesses, thanks to the opportunities created by travel. Cultural understanding is brought about by the ability of people to travel to distant places and meet new people. These are just some of the benefits of aviation that cannot be replicated.

For all that, and all our improvements over time, we need to be conscious that the community demands of us even better standards and performance.

We must challenge suppliers to continue their quest for more efficient engines, aircraft and other consumables. We have to constantly remind governments that they must do their bit.

For instance, if air traffic management efficiencies were implemented, as an industry we could reduce our emissions by 12 per cent. Customers know that circling around airports, waiting for slots, is frustrating and inefficient. There are solutions that can be implemented, but it requires a concerted effort from all governments to bring about change.

The debate on aviation and the environment has been too one-sided. As representatives of our industry, we must all participate; we must speak with one, loud voice to remind governments and our customers that we are doing our bit to improve environmental performance.

The writer is vice-president, public affairs, Singapore Airlines.
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