IATA defends airline sector from pollution criticisms

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2007

SINGAPORE (AFP) — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Monday defended the aviation sector from criticisms it is among the worst offenders in emitting man-made carbon dioxide.

Andrew Drysdale, IATA's regional vice president, said the sector was being unfairly labelled as a big pollution offender despite only accounting for two percent of heat-trapping carbon emissions globally.

"If you look at the adverse press coverage that we are getting, you would think that we are the largest polluter in the world," Drysdale said in a speech at a regional airport conference in Singapore.

"We are not," he said, producing slides that showed electricity use and heat production accounted for 35 percent of the global carbon dioxide emissions.

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