Australia Publishes Aviation Green Paper; Precursor to White Paper on Aviation Strategy in 2009

7 December 2008

Passenger air journeys within and to and from Australia. Click to enlarge.

The Government of Australia has published an Aviation Green Paper, and is inviting comments on it to be considered in the development of a White Paper in 2009. The Aviation White Paper will be the first attempt to bring all aspects of aviation policy together in a single forward-looking statement.

Australia’s economy is heavily dependent upon aviation, given its vast internal distances and isolation from the rest of the world, says Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The Aviation White Paper will be intended to deliver a blueprint for the long-term, safe and sustainable development of Australian aviation over the next 20 years.

The number of people travelling on airlines to and from and within Australia has grown from 2.3 million in 1958 to 69.5 million in 2007, a rate of growth 14 times that of population growth. The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) estimates the number of air passenger movements through Australian airports will grow by an average 4% annually to 2025-26.

The long-term growth predictions pose a fundamental challenge for government and industry. Some of our major airports already operate at close to capacity during peak times; pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers are in short supply; aviation safety standards are becoming a focus of community attention; flight delays and cancellations have become more frequent; communities are increasingly concerned about the impact of aircraft noise; and aircraft account for a growing proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Addressing these challenges will not be simple and the solutions will not be immediate. Effective planning in the aviation industry takes time. Investment in aviation infrastructure requires consideration of complex commercial, engineering, environmental and safety factors. Similarly, setting the groundwork for adequate aircraft fleet and workforce planning requires the industry to take a long-term view.

—Aviation Green Paper

The Green Paper outlines the Government’s proposals to address a broad range of these industry issues, including addressing climate change.

Historic improvement in aircraft fuel efficiency. Click to enlarge.

The Australian Government has committed to a long-term national greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 60% below 2000 levels by 2050. One of the policy measures to be used to achieved this target is an emissions trading scheme, that will come into effect in 2010. The government says that it is committed to including domestic aviation in the coverage of the scheme.

Civil aviation currently accounts for about 2% of global emissions and this is expected to increase due to predicted growth in the aviation sector. While aircraft are 70% more fuel efficient than 40 years ago, future improvements in fuel efficiency will not be sufficient to counteract the extra emissions generated by a growing industry.

The Australian Government proposes to work with industry to develop a policy framework to respond to climate change, with a focus on the following elements:

• Finalizing the design of the emissions trading scheme (CPRS, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme), including application of the scheme to domestic aviation. The Government is not proposing to include emissions from international aviation in the CPRS;

• Consideration of means to support the uptake of operational and other measures to constrain the net carbon footprint of aviation, which complement the actions taken in the CPRS;

• Continuing the initiatives of Airservices Australia to work with airlines on the implementation of fuel saving measures including flexible flight tracks, improving aircraft air traffic control sequencing and introducing continuous descent approaches;

• Working through ICAO on a practical approach to address international aviation emissions;

• Working towards a better understanding of aviation emissions and their impact, including through the development of tools for comprehensive carbon monitoring and foot printing; and

• Assisting all economies in the region to respond to the need to reduce their carbon footprint through Australia’s bilateral agreements and our involvement in APEC and ICAO.

Submissions or comments on the Green Paper should be provided no later than 27 February 2009.

Resources

• National Aviation Policy Green Paper