guardian.co.uk: Airlines vow to halve carbon emissions by 2050

Airlines vow to halve carbon emissions by 2050

Exclusive: Industry will offer cut at climate change summit to avoid tougher action

Dan Milmo, transport correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Monday 21 September 2009 23.23 BST

The aviation industry will tomorrow make a dramatic pledge to slash carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2050 in a move that will force up air fares and spark a green technology race among aircraft manufacturers.

The British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, will unveil an agreement between airlines, airports and aircraft companies to cut emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2050. In a bid to seize the initiative from environmental groups clamouring for higher taxes on the industry, the plan will be presented to world leaders at the United Nations forum on climate change in New York.

Airlines have been accused of dragging their heels over climate change, but the strategic shift reflects industry concerns that it could be ambushed at the global warming summit in Copenhagen in December if it does not address its growing emissions.

Writing in the Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/sep/21/copenhagen-summit-climate-change">climate change secretary Ed Miliband says he is haunted by the possibility that politicians will fail to reach a global climate deal. Calling for a new urgency and spirit of co-operation in the negotiations, he writes: "The fate of every nation on earth hangs on the outcome of Copenhagen. It is too important to play the cards-close-to-your-chest poker games that marked diplomacy of the twentieth century."

…

DATE: 09/07/09
SOURCE: Flight International

Zero emissions aircraft takes first flight

By Aimée Turner

The world's first piloted aircraft capable of taking to the air using only power from http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/16/328233/paris-air-show-eads-chief-engineer-champions-green.html">hydrogen fuel cells has flown, producing zero carbon dioxide emissions during the landmark mission.

The http://www.dlr.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1/86_read-18278/">Antares DLR-H2 - developed by http://www.dlr.de/en/">German aerospace centre DLR together with Lange Aviation, BASF Fuel Cells and Denmark's Serenergy - has a range of 750km (390nm) and can fly for 5h at maximum flying speeds of about 90kt (170km/h).

The DLR says it has improved fuel cell performance capabilities and efficiency to such an extent that the motor glider can take off using fuel cell power alone.

"This enables us to demonstrate the true potential of this technology," says the DLR's http://www.dlr.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-624/1045_read-7827/">Johann-Dietrich Wörner, who concedes however that fuel cell use constitutes a more likely alternative to existing on-board energy systems than main propulsion alternatives.

…

… One design problem, never adequately solved, was the need for heavy shielding to protect the crew from radiation sickness.

…