How does aviation contribute to climate change?
It is widely accepted by climate scientists that climate change is accelerated by man’s increased emission of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), due mainly to the burning of fossil fuels in power stations, boilers and engines. The rapid increase in the world’s population over the last 50 years has combined with an increasing use of energy such that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased to levels far above what the Earth has previously experienced. This is causing the planet to warm noticeably. Aviation is the fastest growing cause of CO2 emissions, in the UK accounting for 6% of all emissions. Aviation is particularly damaging as emissions at altitude have a much greater impact than emissions at ground level. Most of the world’s developed countries have signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, agreeing to reduce their emissions from levels in 1990. The UK target is a reduction of 20% by 2010 and 60% by 2050. However, emissions from aviation have been excluded
