New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global aviation industry lobby, Friday asked governments for more tax concessions to help carriers invest in fuel-efficient aircraft.
“We ask governments for a global approach towards aviation,” IATA director general and chief executive Giovanni Bisignani said ahead of an international conference on climate change to be held in Copenhagen in December.

“We could easily lose over $10 billion (Rs.45,000 crore) if the governments and European Union tax more. This will rob us of the ability to invest in new fuel efficient aircraft,” Bisignani added.

Aircraft operations account for 2 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.

During an interaction at a “Special Dialogue on Aviation and Climate Change”, jointly organised by the The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) and IATA, Bisignani said governments taking part in the Copenhagen talks should help the aviation sector reduce carbon emissions.

“If not, we face the risk of uncoordinated competitive government taxation that won’t reduce emissions but will be harmful to global economic development,” the IATA chief said.

According to him, technology, infrastructure and sustainable biofuels threw up the biggest opportunities for ensuring emission reductions.

“Of these, sustainable biofuels are the most exciting because for the first time, air transport has the possibility of an alternative fuel to traditional jet fuel,” Bisignani said.

Maintaining that four test flights with sustainable biofuels have proven that they meet the technical and safety standards for commercial operations, he added: “Biofuels can be blended with jet fuel and used in aircraft and engines.”

Bisignani was also hopeful that with adequate measures in place, the global aviation sector would be able to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2050. “It is feasible. It is possible,” he said.

“Progress is happening at a much faster pace than anybody anticipated. Three years ago, sustainable biofuel was a dream. Now we expect certification no later than 2011.”