Environmental analysis news: Climate change 'on the agenda' for aviation industry

A spokesperson for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has acknowledged that climate issues represent an important challenge for the aviation sector.

However, he also said that the industry's overall contribution to climate change is often overstated in the UK, mainly due to the influence of certain "hostile" groups.

Quentin Browell explained that the aviation sector is of a similar size to the IT industry, but "you hear far less about the contribution to climate change from computers".

He added: "From my perspective in Geneva, there are quite a lot of groups in the UK that are hostile to aviation."

Mr Browell's comments followed a new report from the House of Commons Transport Committee, which called for aviation to be treated "equitably" in government climate change policy.

According to statistics from the Department of Transport, approximately 225 million passengers and two million tonnes of freight passed through UK airports last year.

Posted by Joseph Hutton