Green Daily

Will carbon-neutral air travel be a possibility in the near future? A group of aircraft manufacturers, airlines, air-traffic controllers, and airports agreed today to take the industry in that direction. Over the last year, the airline industry has been beat up in the media for being unresponsive to global warming. While some of the criticism might have singled out the airlines a little bit unfairly, the pressure seems to have really got to them. It looks like now the airlines industry in Europe is prepared to take some evasive maneuvers when it comes to climate change.

From cleaner fuel technology and more efficient jets, to more carbon-friendly routing of air traffic, airlines are committing to "greenhouse gas reductions wherever they are cost-effective." If the group gets its way, the bulk of the carbon 'neutralizing' will come from an aviation specific emissions trading program. That way, airlines can avoid a carbon tax that's are being kicked around in the EU.

Air travel is considered by the IPCC to be the cause of 3% of the world's greenhouse gases. So, any carbon trading organization the pops up would most likely be highly lucrative -- and a huge boost for the development of alternative energy. Hopefully, airlines in the US will follow suit.