The EU ETS must be strengthened or its impact on aviation emissions will be minimal, says Tyndall study Fri 21 Nov 2008 - The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the UK's Manchester University has just published a working paper that assesses the implications on climate targets of including aviation within the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme. It concludes that unless the scheme adopts both an early baseline year and an overall cap in keeping with a 450ppmv CO2 equivalent cumulative emission pathway, its impact on aviation emissions will be minimal. The authors say carbon prices will need to be much higher or other stringent constraints will be required to restrict the rapid growth in aviation emissions. Read more ...

Austria's aviation industry combines to produce a publication to support its climate protection activities Fri 21 Nov 2008 - Austrian Airlines Group, the Austrian air navigation services provider Austro Control and six Austrian airports have jointly published a report called 'The Environment and Aviation', which aims to document the multi-faceted efforts of the country's air transport industry in support of environmental and climate protection. Meanwhile, Austrian Airlines has released details of the recent performance of its passenger carbon offset scheme, which show an 8.5 per cent take-up on online bookings. Read more ...

Costa Rica's NatureAir becomes the first airline to join the United Nations' Climate Neutral Network Fri 21 Nov 2008 - Having laid claim to becoming the world's first carbon neutral airline, Costa Rica-based NatureAir has now joined the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net), an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote global action towards low-carbon economies and societies. In 2004, the airline pledged to offset all its carbon emissions through the purchase of government carbon credits, paid for by increasing fares, and used for the protection of tropical forests in southern Costa Rica. Read more ...

UK's new Transport Secretary says supporting aviation and protecting the environment are completely compatible Thu 20 Nov 2008 - The UK's new Secretary of State for Transport, Geoff Hoon, said in a speech delivered to the Airport Operators Association (AOA) Annual Conference in London earlier this week that the debate around the future of aviation has become extremely polarized. He said there were three main myths which needed to be tackled concerning the environment, airport capacity and high-speed rail links. AOA's Executive Chairman Ed Anderson told delegates the impending switch by the Government to an aircraft-based duty was "the wrong tax at the wrong time". Read more ...

Europe's failure to implement a Single European Sky is an environmental embarrassment, says IATA Thu 20 Nov 2008 - The failure to implement an effective Single European Sky (SES) is Europe's biggest environmental embarrassment, IATA Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani told high-level delegates to the European Aviation Summit held in Bordeaux, France earlier this week. He challenged Europe to deliver the SES by 2012 to coincide with aviation's inclusion into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. He was supported by the Association of European Airlines, who described the present ATM system a "morass of inefficiency". Read more ...

SESAR announces 100 emissions-reducing European green procedure flight trials to take place in 2009 Wed Nov 19 2008 - The SESAR programme, the operational and technology component of Europe's Single European Sky (SES) air traffic modernization legislation, has received a kick-start with the announcement that over 100 flight trials, involving 17 partners representing airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and industry, will take place during next year under the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) framework. Greener flight procedures could potentially reduce carbon emissions per flight by 10 percent. Read more ...

COMMENTARY

The search for alternative aviation fuels: understanding the challenge Mon 10 Nov 2008 - Against a background of increasing pressure on the industry to do more to control and reduce its carbon emissions, alternative fuels have moved firmly onto and up the agenda as one way in which some or all of aviation's greenhouse gas emissions might be further controlled and reduced. Jeff Gazzard of the Aviation Environment Federation outlines the issues from the perspective of an environmental NGO.  Read more ... 1 opinion posted

Disagreement on environmental impacts of air transport is seriously undermining UK government policy Thu 28 Aug 2008 - Air travel has been heralded as one of the great successes of the modern world, creating wealth and employment, enabling worldwide economic and cultural interaction, and enriching our lives, writes Hugh Raven, Commissioner at the UK's Sustainable Development Commission. We know there are environmental concerns, which may or may not be answered by future technological breakthroughs. But the economic imperative to expand is surely overwhelming. Or is it? Read more ...

A way forward in achieving an acceptable global aviation emissions mitigation framework Wed 16 July 2008 - The search for an international consensus to tackle the problem of aviation greenhouse gas emissions has so far proved elusive. The UN agency charged with developing a global framework of mitigation measures and targets, ICAO, is attempting to reach an accord to put before the UNFCCC Copenhagen conference in December 2009. Chris Lyle analyses the issues and offers some thoughts on a way forward. Read more ...

FEATURE ARTICLES

Two organizations and countless companies strive to bring the dream of algae biofuels to life Sun 28 Sept 2008 - A successful conversion of algae to an aviation jet biofuel on a commercially sizeable and economic scale is seen as having exciting potential in the efforts to replace traditional jet kerosene with an emissions-reducing alternative. Jim Lane, Editor of Biofuels Digest, provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the current algae market and the technological hurdles that must be overcome. Read more ...

Affected airlines must factor in many uncertain issues as they plan for inclusion into the EU ETS Thu 18 Sept 2008 - Although aviation's inclusion into the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme is now a formaility, there is uncertainty on the levels of capping and auctioning from 2013 as Europe may seek to tighten current proposals. There is also the possibility of legal action by non-EU countries with airlines that fly to Europe, angered by their unilateral inclusion into the scheme. However, Miles Austin warns the industry to avoid a wait-and-see attitude and start preparations now.  Read more ...

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

For more details on the following events, click here Emissions Trading Aviation Summit 24-25 November 2008 London, UK International Conference on Alternative Aviation Fuels 24-26 November 2008 RAeS, London, UK Environmental Aspects of Aircraft Fleet Turnover, Retirement and Life Cycle Workshop 3 December 2008 London, UK Environmental Workshop on Passenger Expectations and Airline Business Models 4 December 2008 London, UK Second International Scientific and Business Congress on Protecting the Climate - A World Joint Strategy "Localisation on Environmental Business and Supply Base in India" 3-4 February 2009 New Delhi, India Aviation & Environment Summit 2009 31 March - 1 April 2009 Geneva, Switzerland Greener Skies 2009 September 2009 Hong Kong  Read more ...

RECENT NEWS

United Airlines becomes first US carrier to undertake fuel and emissions saving ASPIRE flight Mon 17 Nov 2008 - United Airlines became the first US carrier to participate in the trans-Pacific ASPIRE initiative last Friday (Nov 14) when a Boeing 747-400 flight between Sydney and Australia undertook 11 gate-to-gate operational procedures, from priority take-off clearance to a tailored arrival, that resulted in savings of 1,564 gallons (5,920 litres) of fuel and 32,656 pounds (14.81 tonnes) of carbon emissions over normal conditions.  Read more ...

Airline association appeals to European legislators to stop moving the goalposts on aviation ETS Mon 17 Nov 2008 - Speaking at last week's Annual General Meeting of the International Air Carrier Association (IACA), its President, Christoph Mueller, called on MEPs to reject tough amendments to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme proposed by its Environment Committee (ENVI) when it comes before the European Parliament early next month as part of a general review of the scheme. Read more ...

Report challenges claims that airline and tourism expansion benefits the economy and poorer nations Mon 17 Nov 2008 - A new report, entitled Plane Truths, from the new economics foundation (nef) and the World Development Movement (WDM) claims that increased air travel and tourism leaves UK taxpayers out of pocket and benefits multinational tour operators and hotel chains rather than poor people. Also, as the fastest-rising source of emissions in the UK, it maintains aviation is a significant contributor to climate change that threatens the survival of some of the world's poorest communities. Read more ...

Environment is the new imperative, aviation industry delegates to air navigation conference are told Fri 14 Nov 2008 - The aviation industry must accelerate implementation of advanced airspace management technologies to counteract pressure from a public increasingly concerned about the environment, delegates to a Seattle conference on Performance Based Navigation (PBN) were told earlier this week. PBN relies on GPS guidance and advanced flight management systems to guide aircraft on very precise vertical and horizontal tracks, enabling them to take more efficient routes and save both fuel and emissions Read more ...

FedEx commits to reducing the carbon emissions of its aircraft fleet by 20 percent by 2020 Fri 14 Nov 2008 - FedEx has pledged to cut the carbon dioxide emissions of its aircraft fleet by 20 percent by 2020, mainly to be achieved through investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft as well as 30 other initiatives, with matching reductions in its vehicle fleet. Since 2005, the corporation says it has reduced aircraft emissions by 3.7 percent per available ton mile. FedEx Express and FedEx Freight operate three solar-powered facilities in California and recently broke ground for its largest solar-powered hub to date in Cologne, Germany. Read more ...

Jatropha-based biofuel cleared for take-off on Air New Zealand test flight early next month Thu 13 Nov 2008 - Air New Zealand and Boeing have announced that the world's first flight using a second-generation biofuel will take place from Auckland on December 3. Derived from sustainably grown jatropha sourced from south-eastern Africa and India, the crude oil was converted to biojet fuel using UOP's processing technology. According to Rolls-Royce, the biofuel has met or exceeded all technical specifications during laboratory testing. Read more ...

Airlines welcome decision by Belgian Government to drop proposals for an airline passenger tax Mon 10 Nov 2008 - Protests by airlines, airports and tour operators have succeeded in overturning a recent proposal by the Belgian Government to impose an airline passenger ticket tax that was intended to raise an estimated 132 million euros ($170m) annually. An online petition to stop the tax gathered 36,000 names in just two weeks. Meanwhile, the European Parliament's rapporteur on the directive to include aviation into the EU ETS has criticized the UK and the Netherlands on their refusals to earmark revenues for climate change mitigation. Read more ...

Airbus and Southampton University set up new research centre to identify aircraft noise reduction solutions Mon 10 Nov 2008 - A new research centre, the Airbus Noise Technology Centre, has been formally launched at the University of Southampton's School of Engineering Sciences (SES). The university has a long history of conducting research into all aspects of aircraft noise and for many years has collaborated with Airbus on a range of noise research and development projects. Read more ...

Survey of British attitudes to air travel and its impact on the environment discovers a lack of consistency Fri 7 Nov 2008 - Another survey of British air travellers shows a familiar pattern of concern by the public over green issues such as climate change and aircraft noise and air pollution but an unwillingness to let it alter their flying habits. The study, commissioned by Camcon Technology and carried out by international research agency YouGov, reveals that almost three-quarters (74 percent) were worried about the effects yet only 22 percent admitted the issue had affected the number of flights they took. Read more ...

Czech Airlines passes final stage of an environmental audit on path to ISO 14001 international standard Thu 6 Nov 2008 - Czech Airlines is awaiting final verification of its application for ISO 14001 certification following an environmental audit carried out by Det Norske Veritas, which focused on all aspects of the carrier's activities, including flight and ground operations, aircraft maintenance and repair, training programmes for sales, support, technical and operational staff and crew. Read more ...

Jatropha-based jet biofuel in final tests at Rolls-Royce before Air New Zealand test flight in December Thu 6 Nov 2008 - The jatropha-based jet biofuel to power one of the four engines on the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 test flight set to take place next month has passed preliminary testing at the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, UK. The exact date of the flight is to be confirmed once the fuel has completed a rigorous testing process to further validate its specifications. The airline also reports it has recently completed its first Required Navigation Performance (RNP) enabled A320 flight between Sydney and Queenstown, saving fuel and carbon emissions as well as reducing noise levels. Read more ...

European pressure on ICAO and third countries to come up with global proposals on emissions reductions Mon 3 Nov 2008 - Delegates to last week's conference in Geneva, Meeting the Environmental Challenge, organized by the European Commission and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), heard calls for an international dialogue and a comprehensive approach in reducing aviation greenhouse gas emissions. If aviation is not ready to take the appropriate steps now, States will force the industry to act by probably demanding even tougher measures, said Moritz Leuenberger, Swiss Minister for Transport and Environment. Non-EU representatives, however, expressed their continuing concerns over Europe's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Read more ...

Eurocontrol and ACI Europe join forces to ease airport congestion and reduce aircraft emissions Fri 31 Oct 2008 - Eurocontrol, the organization responsible for European air safety and air traffic management harmonization, and ACI Europe, represents airport operators, have signed a cooperative agreement which is aimed at enhancing the capacity of airport infrastructure across Europe and optimizing operations. It follows a forecast that air services will double by 2030 but the lack of sufficient airport capacity will result in severe congestion and full saturation at many European airports. Read more ...

Biofuels will be in commercial aviation use within three to five years, believes Boeing Fri 31 Oct 2008 - Boeing's Director of Environmental Strategy, Darrin Morgan, told The Guardian newspaper that biofuels will be approved for commercial use by airlines within three to five years, sooner than previously thought possible. The biggest barrier to mass use of biofuels, he said, is the availability of enough biomass material to satisfy industry needs. Meanwhile, the Boeing-led Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) held its annual Algae Biomass Summit in Seattle last week, featuring presentations focusing on the role of algae in addressing growing global energy needs. Read more ... 1 opinion posted

US turns up the heat on Europe's Emissions Trading Scheme with diplomatic and industry objections Thu 30 Oct 2008 - The US Ambassador to the European Union has today sent a letter to the European Commission reiterating US concerns over the inclusion of international civil aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The US threatens to take "appropriate measures" under international law if the EU "insists on taking unilateral action" over the issue. In a speech today in Brussels, James C. May, the President and CEO of the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), which represents the bulk of US airlines, said the ETS was contrary to international law and a bad policy. Read more ...

UK Government reverses earlier decision not to include aviation emissions in Climate Change Bill Thu 30 Oct 2008 - Facing a rebellion from MPs within its own party and anger from environmentalists, the UK Government has backed down on an earlier decision to exclude aviation and shipping carbon emissions from its ambitious legally-binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050. Prime Minster Gordon Brown has also told MPs that a final verdict on a third runway at Heathrow "would be taken only after full consideration of the environmental implications", fuelling speculation that the Government was getting cold feet over its support for the project. Read more ...

European ministers rubber stamp Council and Parliament agreement on aviation's entry into the EU ETS Mon 27 Oct 2008 - The directive to include aviation into the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012 was formally adopted, without discussion, during a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on Friday (October 24). EU Member States now have 12 months to transpose the directive into national law. Airlines have condemned the move just as the global financial crisis bites and with the European aviation sector already showing signs of a major slowdown. Read more ...

UK Government to provide research and development funding for algae-based transport biofuels Fri 24 Oct 2008 - The UK Government is to underwrite a publicly-funded initiative to research, develop and then commercialize the use of algae as a second generation biofuel for road and air transport by 2020. The two-phase project, called the Algae Biofuels Challenge, is to be led by the Carbon Trust, an independent company set up by the Government to accelerate a move to a low carbon economy by working with organizations to reduce carbon emissions and develop low carbon technologies. Read more ...

Copa Airlines claims Latin American first as it launches a voluntary carbon offset service to passengers Thu 22 Oct 2008 - Panama-based Copa Airlines has added a carbon calculator to its website, allowing passengers to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions of their chosen flights. The offset programme was developed in association with Sustainable Travel International and contributions will be invested in alternative energy projects and reforestation. Still in Central America, Costa Rica's NatureAir, which claims to be the world's first certified carbon neutral airline, has launched a sustainable travel blog. Read more ...

Qantas A380 takes part in ASPIRE fuel and emissions saving initiative on inaugural trans-Pacific flight Thu 23 Oct 2008 - A second demonstration flight took place yesterday under the Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) programme which involved the return leg of Qantas' inaugural Airbus A380 service between Australia and the US West Coast. By using optimum air traffic management procedures and the latest technologies, the new aircraft was able to fly from Los Angeles to Melbourne more quickly and efficiently, saving both fuel and emissions. Read more ...

China to build an average of over seven new airports every year until 2020 to cope with rapid traffic rise Tue 21 Oct 2008 - Whilst in Europe we fret over the environmental consequences of building a new runway, no such inhibitions are stopping a huge airport infrastructure expansion in China, where passenger traffic has nearly trebled since 2000. As of June this year, there are 155 commercial airports in the country. By 2010, there will be 190 and by 2020 the total is forecast to reach 244 airports, 97 of which will have been constructed during a 15-year period. Read more ...

Carbon Sciences claims its breakthrough technology can transform CO2 emissions into renewable jet fuel Mon 20 Oct 2008 - California-based Carbon Sciences claims it has achieved a breakthrough in developing a highly scalable biocatalytic process that can be used to transform CO2 emitted from fossil fuel power plants into transportation fuels, including jet fuel. The company believes it will be able to demonstrate the technology within the next several months and has plans to license the process to oil refineries and large CO2 emitters. Read more ...

Liberator.aero adds CO2 emissions measurement module to its fuel management programme Mon 20 Oct 2008 - Dublin-based Liberator.aero has introduced a CO2 emissions measurement module as part of its web-based Liberator Fuel Management Programme in what it describes as a timely response to airlines who are preparing to enter the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The module will provide an auditable facility to measure CO2 emissions per flight and per 100 passenger kilometres. Read more ...

UK's new environment minister to omit aviation emissions from climate change legislation Fri 17 Oct 2008 - The UK's new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, has announced that the Government has accepted the proposal put forward last week by the Climate Change Committee that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 80 percent, instead of the previously proposed 60 percent, by 2050. However, the minister has decided not to include aviation and shipping emissions in the legally binding target. Read more ...

WWF taken to task over its $64,950 per person, 36,800-mile luxury private jet tourist expedition Thu 16 Oct 2008 - In an article entitled 'Five-star Green Hypocrisy', online publication JunkScience.com has condemned environmental NGO WWF over its promotion of a round-the-world, 25-day journey by luxury private jet to conservation areas on four continents. Using WWF's own carbon calculator, JunkScience estimates the trip in the lavishly fitted Boeing 757 will burn about 100,000 gallons of jet fuel, producing 1,231 tons of CO2, the equivalent of putting 1,560 SUVs on the road over the same period. Read more ...

Belgian and Irish announcements of new passenger departure taxes lead to airline industry anger Thu 16 Oct 2008 - Both Belgian and Irish governments announced on Tuesday their intentions to levy departure taxes on airline passengers. Belgium, which is struggling to find up to 2.5 billion euros to balance its 2009 books, is looking to raise 132 million euros from the new tax, although it is being promoted as a measure to benefit the environment through an anticipated reduction in carbon emissions. The Irish tax, which has no such pretensions, is expected to raise 95 million euros in 2009 and 150 million euros in a full year. Read more ...

Cologne Bonn Airport installs carbon counters for passengers to offset their flight CO2 emissions Thu 16 Oct 2008 - Cologne Bonn Airport has teamed with Swiss-based international carbon offset provider myclimate in a 50,000 euro ($67,000) venture to set up electronic terminals in the departure lounges of both terminals, which allow passengers to offset the carbon emissions of their flights. The voluntary donations will be used towards funding clean power generation projects in India. Read more ...

Airbus challenges students to help shape the eco-efficient aircraft industry of the future Tue 14 Oct 2008 - Commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus has launched an international competition called 'Fly Your Ideas' for student teams worldwide to submit proposals that will help enhance the aviation sector's eco-efficiency. With a top prize of 30,000 euros ($41,000), the competition is open to college and university students studying a degree, Masters or PhD in any academic discipline, from engineering to marketing, business to science and philosophy to design. Read more ...

IATA unveils environment display at Schiphol Airport to promote a green aviation image to the public Tue 14 Oct 2008 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has opened an environment exhibition stand in one of the main passenger departure lounges at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport as part of an industry commitment to better communicate aviation's environmental activities to the public. It is a joint initiative with the airport's operator, Schiphol Group, as well as Dutch airline KLM and BARIN, which represents airlines operating in the Netherlands. Read more ...

European Parliament’s environment committee passes tougher aviation ETS proposals from 2013 Mon 13 Oct 2008 - The European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) last week approved a package of measures to stiffen the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) from 2013 as part of a general review of climate policy by the European Commission. The aviation industry has fared marginally worse than other sectors with MEPs proposing the allocation of free emission allowances be cut from 85 percent in 2012 to 80 percent in 2013 - the others would be entitled to 85 percent in 2013 - with a total phase-out for all industries by 2020.  Read more ...

Surveys find conflicting attitudes by the travelling public to climate change and the environment Fri 10 Oct 2008 - A survey carried out by travel portal Trivago found its European members had different reactions to travel and global warming. Only 16 percent of Britons changed their travel plans due to climate change, with 80 percent of respondents saying they were sceptical about global warming and 40 percent believing it was just media hype. The Italians, in comparison, are less cynical about climate change but also less likely to change their travel habits. Read more ...

EU to press third countries to participate with it in tackling international aviation greenhouse gas emissions Fri 10 Oct 2008 - At a European Union Council meeting in Luxembourg yesterday, transport ministers called for the European Commission to engage with third countries on international aviation emissions. The Commission was urged to persuade them to adopt equivalent measures to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which should be included in the framework of aviation bilateral agreements. The Council, meanwhile, appears to have backtracked on an agreement with the European Parliament that ETS auction revenues must be ring-fenced for environmental measures. Read more ...

Aviation should be included in UK targets to cut emissions by 80 percent by 2050, advises climate watchdog Thu 9 Oct 2008 - The Committee on Climate Change, an independent watchdog set up to advise the UK Government on climate change policy, has recommended that a proposed legally binding target to reduce carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2050 should be increased to 80 percent. The committee says aviation and shipping emissions, which had been previously excluded, should now be included in the overall target. Read more ...

The high-altitude effects of non-CO2 greenhouse gases caused by aviation are still uncertain, say scientists Mon 6 Oct 2008 - Scientists studying the effects of aircraft contrails and non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), report that whilst the science is improving they are still unsure of the magnitude of aviation's impact on global warming. There are still major uncertainties that require further research and they advise policy makers to steer clear of basing decisions on so-called 'multipliers'. Read more ... 2 opinions posted

EERC claims first production of a military jet aviation fuel fully created from renewable feedstocks Sat 4 Oct 2008 - The University of Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has created what it describes as a 100 percent renewable drop-in JP-8 military jet fuel that has successfully met the required specifications. The EERC says it is expecting to produce a large enough sample for engine testing before the end of the year and is exploring partnerships with the private sector to move into full-scale production of the fuel. Read more ...

Virgin Galactic and NOAA to explore collaboration on high altitude climate change research and monitoring Fri 3 Oct 2008 - Virgin Galactic, the ambitious project to take civilians to the edge of space, has signed an agreement with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to research the effects of climate change at high altitudes. Virgin is currently developing a plane, called WhiteKnightTwo, which will eventually carry the SpaceShipTwo passenger space craft to a height of about 50,000 feet (15km) before launching it. Both will be equipped with sensors and monitoring systems to measure CO2 and other GHGs as they fly through the upper atmosphere. Read more ...

VLM says it is a myth that short-haul flights are more environmentally damaging than rail journeys Fri 3 Oct 2008 - Belgian regional carrier VLM Airlines has waded into the train versus plane debate by publishing a 'fact sheet', entitled Setting the Record Straight, which aims to disprove claims that flying within the UK and on short-haul flights to Europe is more damaging to the environment than taking the train on the same routes. VLM argues that train operators and their supporters are not taking into account the true environmental impact of rail services. Read more ...

Lightweight containers will help reduce airline fuel consumption and reduce emissions, says manufacturer Thu 2 Oct 2008 - US container manufacturer Nordisk Aviation Products says using its lightweight unit load devices (ULDs) can support carriers that are implementing aircraft weight reduction programmes in order to save fuel and reduce emissions. The company produces two models that it says can provide considerable overall cost savings to airlines, while at the same time minimizing their environmental impact. Read more ...

Budapest Airport starts programme to install noise insulation in affected local residential properties Thu 2 Oct 2008 - The operator of Budapest's Ferihegy Airport has started its programme to fit noise insulation to windows in the bedrooms of homes located in the immediate vicinity. In the first phase, around 250 properties in the municipality of Ullo, which are considered to be the most affected by aircraft noise, will have the work carried out and completed before the end of the year, at a cost of around $340,000. Read more ...

Lufthansa announces measures to save paper on its cargo and passenger operations Thu 2 Oct 2008 - Lufthansa Cargo has despatched its first paperless airfreight shipment on a flight from Frankfurt to Seoul as part of a move by the air cargo industry towards an e-freight era. Meanwhile, Lufthansa's airline passengers can now use mobile boarding passes on all flights from Germany to any European destination, avoiding the need for printing out any travel documents. Lufthansa Systems, the carrier's IT solutions subsidiary, has announced Air Berlin has contracted for its fuel-saving, flight planning system. Read more ...

Reuters: Environment (Last updated Friday, November 21, 2008 6:00 pm CST)

Rangers return to Congo gorilla park after a year GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - Park rangers returned to a reserve that is home to nearly a third of the world's remaining mountain gorillas Friday, more than a year after fighting forced them to abandon the area, a park chief said. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 12:23 pm CST

China's crops at risk from massive erosion BEIJING (Reuters) - Over a third of China's land is being scoured by serious erosion that is putting its crops and water supply a risk, a three-year nationwide survey has found. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 8:18 am CST

Alaska pollock catch limit likely to take a dive WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Declining stocks of Alaska pollock mean officials are likely to scale back 2009 catch limits for the largest U.S. fishery next month but scientists insist stocks are not in danger of collapse. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 12:54 pm CST

Canadian hunters killing narwhals trapped in ice OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian hunters in a remote Arctic community have started killing a large number of narwhals -- small, white whales best known for their long tusks -- that are trapped by ice, a federal official said on Friday. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 3:26 pm CST

Space station's new urine recycler has glitches HOUSTON (Reuters) - NASA is having problems with a $250 million system it just delivered to the International Space Station to recycle urine and other wastewater into drinking water for astronauts. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 5:39 pm CST

GMO crop critics fear USDA will ease regulations KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Critics of biotech crops were trying to head off rule changes by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the waning days of the Bush Administration that the critics said would ease restrictions on the controversial crops. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 3:04 pm CST

Indians, blacks push for more say in Brazil's agenda BRASILIA (Reuters) - Native Indians and communities of slave descendants in Brazil are pushing for a greater say in shaping laws and public works projects, creating a potential minefield for business and government in Latin America's largest economy. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 12:26 pm CST

German says cannot confirm CO2 cars deal BERLIN (Reuters) - A German government spokesman said on Friday he could not confirm that Europe's big four auto making nations had reached an agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 9:38 am CST

U.S., Brazil to speed up cellulosic ethanol research SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The world's top two producers of ethanol, the U.S. and Brazil, will join forces to speed up research into cellulose-derived biofuels, which use inedible plant matter rather than crops as their feedstock. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 10:24 am CST

U.N. publishes draft proposal ahead of climate meet LONDON (Reuters) - The United Nations published a report on Thursday to help lawmakers meeting at an upcoming U.N. climate summit to move closer to sealing a new agreement to confront potentially devastating global warming. Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 9:31 am CST