Modern aviation has changed the way we live, making the world a much smaller place. We now have a greater understanding of other civilisations and in many cases our cultures have started to merge. Air travel is much faster and more reliable than other modes of transport over large distances1
. Travelling is now a reality and
an achievable goal for many people who could never have afforded it before. We are proud to have been in aviation for 26 years and believe in a sustainable future for the industry.
We believe in the positive contribution global travel makes to the world. Flying is crucial to the global economy and central to many people’s lifestyles – it links families, communities and businesses resulting in vibrant and successful cultures and economies .
Aviation also has negative impacts. It produces a significant contribution to man-made carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions . It is central to the climate change debate as it is one of the fastest growing contributors of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and is forecasted to continue growing for the next thirty years2
recognises its environmental impacts and is working to minimise them while maintaining and enhancing the benefits it can bring to economies and societies3
. The industry’s first step towards
a carbon-free future is to work towards carbon neutral growth – meaning that any growth above the baseline will be matched by equivalent reductions in other sectors.
. The aviation industry
Aviation represents by far the biggest environmental impact of all the Virgin businesses. Climate change is therefore top of the agenda for both the Virgin Group and Virgin branded airlines and we are committed to preventing runaway climate change . We won’t hide from the difficult arguments surrounding aviation and the environment, in fact, we want to be right at their heart, pushing our industry, our suppliers, and our regulators to be bolder and to help make flying a more sustainable way to travel. Air travel is not about to disappear, particularly in the developing world. Airlines, such as Air Asia X (part owned by Virgin) are growing rapidly and giving more and more people and businesses access to an increasing number of destinations and markets.
Aviation’s global economic impact* is estimated to be 7.5% of
world GDP.
*direct, indirect, induced and catalytic
Source: Air Transport Action Group. Air transport drives eco- nomic and social progress. The economic and social benefits of air transport 2008. (http:// www.atag.org/files/ATAG%20 brochure-124015A.pdf)
As the Virgin Group owns a stake in many airlines around the world, it is now possible to circumnavigate the world on a Virgin plane. We own stakes in eight airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, Brussels Airlines, Air Asia X and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group (Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue) as well as being involved with private planes.
Global CO2 emissions from aviation are equivalent to about
1.9 - 2.4%
of total global CO2 emissions
Source: Committee on Climate Change. International Aviation
1. Oxford Exonomics. Avia- tion: The Real World Wide Web (http://www.oef.com/ OE_Cons_Aviation.asp)
2. Friends of the Earth (May 2005) Briefing: Aviation and the economy (http:// www.foe.co.uk/resource/ briefings/aviation_and_the_ economy.pdf)
THE AMOUNT OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM AVIATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY AROUND 3-4% PER YEAR.
Source: International Civil Aviation Organisation, Environnent Section. http://www.icao.int/icao/en/env/aee.htm
CO2
3. Air Transport Action Group. Air transport drives eco- nomic and social progress. The economic and social benefits of air transport 2008. (http://www.atag.org/ files/ATAG%20brochure- 124015A.pdf)
4. “Virgin Airlines” refers to all airlines owned by Virgin or branded with the Virgin name.
17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88