No. H055/12
For release - June 4, 2012
OTTAWA — The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport) and the Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment, today announced the release of Canada’s Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Aviation. The announcement was made at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum as part of Environment Week.
“This Plan is good for the economy and good for the environment. It brings together the joint efforts of the aviation industry to increase fuel efficiency, reduce environmental impacts and protect the long-term health of Canadians,” said Minister Fletcher. “We are working together to reduce aviation emissions and lower fuel costs.”
“We have a plan and continue to make progress on reducing Canada's GHG emissions,” said Minister Kent. “We are one-quarter of the way towards meeting our Copenhagen target.”
Canada’s Action Plan was developed by the Government of Canada and the Canadian aviation industry to increase efficiency and improve environmental performance in the aviation sector.
The Action Plan sets out specific measures to improve fuel efficiency and includes commitments from the Government of Canada, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, the Air Transport Association of Canada, the Canadian Airports Council, the Canadian Business Aviation Association, the National Airlines Council of Canada and NAV CANADA.
The Action Plan will contribute to meeting Canada’s clean air goals and forms the basis of Canada’s response to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Assembly Resolution A37-19.
The Action Plan aims to improve fuel efficiency by an average of at least 2 per cent per year until 2020, which will help Canada’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.
The 2 per cent goal is in line with ICAO’s global targets and will be achieved through specific measures, such as fleet renewal and upgrades, more efficient air operations, and improved air traffic management.
The Resolution, adopted in October 2010, set voluntary goals for international aviation emissions and encouraged Member States to submit national action plans by June 2012 outlining their respective policies and actions.
The Action Plan builds on the success of the world’s first voluntary Memorandum of Understanding between Transport Canada and Canadian airlines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, which has been in place since 2005. The agreement set a goal of a 1.1 per cent average annual improvement in fuel efficiency for each year to 2012, a cumulative improvement of 24 per cent, from a 1990 baseline. The Air Transport Association of Canada and the National Airlines Council of Canada report annually on progress achieved under terms of the agreement. As of 2010, the industry has achieved a 1.9 per cent average annual fuel efficiency improvement since 1990, or a 31 per cent cumulative improvement, surpassing the objectives of the agreement. For more information on this, please refer to Transport Canada’s website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-ecofreight-air-annualreport2010-2851.htm
Further information about Canada’s Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Aviation as well as views from industry partners can be found in the attached backgrounders. To view the complete Action Plan please visit Transport Canada's website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation-emissions/
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For more information contact:
Brayden Akers
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Steven Fletcher
Minister of State (Transport), Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.
This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
