AIRLINES EYE CARBON-NEUTRAL GROWTH BY 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 (Bernama) -- The world's airlines have committed to
achieve carbon-neutral growth by 2020, International Air Transport Association's
(IATA) director-general/chief executive officer, Giovanni Bisignani, said
Monday.

Their commitment completes a set of three sequential goals for air transport
-- a 1.5 percent average annual improvement in fuel efficiency from 2009 to
2020, carbon neutral growth from 2020 and a 50 percent absolute reduction in
carbon emissions by 2050.

"Demand will continue to increase, but any expansion of our carbon footprint
will be compensated," Bisignani said at the 65th IATA annual general meeting
here Monday.

Bisignani said wide cooperation was needed from allied industries and
governments.

"Air navigation service providers must make it possible to fly even more
effectively.

"Fuel companies must supply eco-friendly fuels and governments must give us
access to credits in global carbon markets," he said.

Bisignani said the carbon footprint of air transport this year was expected
to shrink by seven percent.

"Of this, five percent is due to the recession and two percent as a result
of a strategy to reduce emissions," he said.

IATA groups 230 of the world's airlines.
-- BERNAMA