BIL Sweden throws stones from glass house
[2008-09-26 11:12]
In an article entitled “Stockholm-Arlanda strains at gnats and swallows camels”, BIL Sweden − an organisation representing manufacturers and importers of cars, trucks and buses − argues that we should disregard the carbon dioxide emissions from ground transport to and from the airport.
So it is time to explain that air traffic accounts for the same share of carbon dioxide emissions at Stockholm-Arlanda as it did ten years ago, despite major growth in air traffic. What is increasing rapidly and uncontrollably is the share of total emissions originating from ground transport.
Today Stockholm-Arlanda is working hard to expand public transport to the airport, in order to ensure that passengers will not have to take their car and can instead travel comfortably all the way from their home or office to wherever they are going in the world. This is one of many steps that the civil aviation industry is taking in an effort to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with air travel, so that the target of carbon dioxide neutral growth can be achieved by 2020. And one step closer to the vision of entirely carbon dioxide free air travel by 2050.
It may also be amusing to note that domestic aviation accounts for one (1) per cent of total Swedish carbon dioxide emissions and road traffic for 30 per cent. Globally, aviation accounts for two (2) per cent of total carbon dioxide emissions and road traffic for about 17 per cent.
Who is actually straining at gnats and swallowing camels?
The Swedish Air Transport Society
An organisation representing the Swedish aviation industry, with LFV − the State enterprise that operates Sweden’s major airports − Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Saab Aerotech and Volvo Aero among its members.