Aviation industry delegates today (1st April) called for a 'concerted push towards the use of sustainable biofuels on commercial flights' in the future.  The call came at the end of the fourth Aviation & Environment Summit, being held in Geneva where the industry was considering what action was needed to make a real change in the way the industry approached the future.

"Delegates showed that they would like to see the commercial use of sustainable biofuels, the introduction of new technologies and the support of governments in pursuing these objectives," said Paul Steele, Summit organiser and Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group. "Policy makers must support industry efforts to accelerate the commercialisation and implementation of aviation biofuels by enacting positive measures to attract investment and facilitate their introduction.”

Yesterday Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, lead the way in calling for the industry to look at the future for biofuels. "We made amazing progress on sustainable biofuels. When we presented our 10% target for alternative fuels by 2017, many thought that we were too ambitious. But recent successful tests by Continental, JAL, Air New Zealand and Virgin prove that next generation sustainable biofuels work. Some of the results from algae, camelina and jatropha showed that there is even a possibility for improved fuel efficiency."

He continued; "Certification by 2010 or 2011 is a real possibility. And the potential benefits are enormous - an 80% reduction in emissions over the fuel’s life-cycle and increased energy security beyond current oil supplies. And a biofuel industry could be a big generator of employment and wealth for the developing world. Commercial production should be a priority for governments alongside research investments. Governments must provide effective incentives in their tax and regulatory frameworks."

In the Summit Communiqué, released today, the industry set itself the target to produce a set of sustainability criteria for biofuel supply by the end of 2009. This would ensure that any biofuel feedstock supplying the industry did not compete for land or water with food crops.