The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the airline industry is committed to achieving carbon-neutral growth by 2020.

The commitment to carbon-neutral growth completes a set of three sequential goals for air transport:

1. a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency from 2009 to 2020;
   
2. carbon-neutral growth from 2020;
   
3. a 50% absolute reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

The timing of the industry commitment to carbon-neutral growth is significant, as governments prepare for the UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen (December 2009) and the post-Kyoto discussions.

“We can be proud of going farther and faster than any other industry.  Air transport is a model for environment responsibility for other industries to follow. The challenge will be for governments to catch up,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO in his State of the Industry address to 500 of the industry’s top leaders gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the 65th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit.