A leading international multi-stakeholder meeting place, the ESTC brings together innovative minds from across the industry to discuss practical ideas and solutions that inspire positive changes. Advancing policies and practices benefiting businesses and communities, the ESTC helps reinforce the roles of tourism in building a more sustainable future.

Co-hosted by Travel Portland and Travel Oregon, the ESTC 2010 (September 8-10, 2010) will be held in Portland, Oregon, a leading U.S. city that has been consistently rated “the most sustainable city” in the country. Bringing together 500+ business leaders, industry professionals and community stakeholders, the ESTC 2010 will feature dynamic sessions, public forums and social functions that offer eye-opening insights into the latest on sustainable business strategies and unparalleled networking and knowledge-sharing experiences.

The ESTC has set the following goals:

• To be THE meeting place for tourism professionals that fosters networking opportunities.
• To promote best practices in sustainability strategies and inspire innovative change.
• To help build partnerships and networks that advance policy benefiting businesses and communities.
• To equip businesses with tools to effectively cope with social, environmental and economic challenges.
• To promote strategies and solutions that reinforce the roles of tourism in building a sustainable future.

The conference facilitators recognize the importance of minimizing their environmental footprints, TIES strives to make the ESTC as environmentally responsible as possible. Here are some of the actions they are taking to achieve this goal.

Portland, Oregon: Most Sustainable City in the US

Consistently rated one of the “most sustainable cities in the US”, Portland, Oregon is a green city where over 5,000 residents commute to work each day by bicycle; where parking meters are solar powered; and where the meticulous synchronization of traffic signals results in an annual savings of 1.1 million gallons of gasoline. Currently, Portland also boasts the most LEED-certified buildings per capita in the nation. Portlanders recycle 54 percent of their waste, a percentage that exceeds that of any other US city. And they and their fellow Oregonians introduced the nation’s first bottle bill in 1971 to encourage recycling.

Smart, Sustainable Local Transportation

All conference attendees arriving from outside the region by air will enjoy the convenience of MAX light rail, the only train-to-plane option on the West Coast, conveniently connecting the Portland International Airport and downtown Portland, as well as getting around in the city with the Portland Streetcar, the only modern streetcar system in the nation. Portland boasts 226 miles of bike lanes, and is the birthplace of car-sharing in the US. The ESTC 2010 field sessions and local tours will utilize Portland’s sustainable and accessible public transportations systems.

Hilton Portland Green Practices

The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, the ESTC 2010 conference venue, is Green Seal Certified and works to decrease its impact on the environment and improve sustainability. Green Seal is a non-profit organization that promotes the management, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower is also among the first hotels in Oregon to be certified in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

Local & Organic Meals

TIES is working with the conference caterers to offer local and organic food in the meals whenever possible. Supporting locally grown and produced food will conserve energy used in transportation and promote local products that are grown using environmentally friendly practices.

Fair Trade, Organic Coffee and Tea:

The coffee and tea served during the session breaks will be fair trade, local and organic products.

Green Office Practices

When the use of paper cannot be avoided, TIES is committed to using recycled and FSD certified paper. All of the conference programs will be printed using soy-based inks on post-consumer recycled paper. In addition, we are working with local partners in Portland, Oregon whenever possible to cut down on shipping-related waste.

Carbon Offsets

TIES will be partnering with a credible carbon offset organization to offer a climate friendly event. We encourage each conference participants to join us in actively helping to neutralize the impact of greenhouse gases emissions related to the ESTC 2010.

For more information, visit www.ecotourism.org

Source: The International Ecotourism Society

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Central Kazakhstan is still a white spot in terms of tourism development. The ETPACK initiative is looking into the development of community based eco-tourism in Central Kazakhstan promoted by national and international third sector organizations.

The two year project started in September 2008 and is financed with 160.000 Euro by the Institution Building Partnership Program (IBPP) of the European Union. The German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and the Kazakh NGO Ecomuseum Karaganda have been cooperating in the past two years to realize the project and provided the needed co-financing. Vitaliy Shupar (Ecomuseum) and Til Dieterich (NABU) coordinated the expert team during the project implementation supported by the International Department of NABU in Berlin.

During the project implementation three eco-sites with a network of home-stays was built up in Karaganda Oblast (Ulytau, Kyzylarai and Kent). Within the project founded small eco-tourism operator is now marketing the tourism products of the eco-sites i.e. tours and souvenir products. On the basis of the existing Karaganda Ecological Museum a regional information center for eco-tourism and ecological education, based on the non-governmental multi-member organization EcoMuseum was founded. The information center does provide information services for organization members, interested people, as well as local, national and international stakeholders on the natural and cultural heritage of the region. These activities enhance the ecological awareness, provide an alternative income source to local people in the region and give them a chance to use natural resources sustainable.

Ecological Tourism has great potential in Kazakhstan. The country has vast areas of untouched nature to offer. Vast pans and semi-deserts dominate the country and give visitors a feeling of freedom and remoteness. As virtually no fences are present in the open country one can freely move about in this exciting countryside. In addition, the mountains and lakes are an important asset as well as the local rural population whose gift for hospitality is intrinsic in their being.

Tourism has shown a tremendous growth and is recovering quickly after years of crisis. Within this promising industry ecotourism is showing the best performance over the last few years. That is for a reason. “We followed a community based approach to guarantee, that the benefits of tourism are staying in the region and enhance the living standards of the local people as well as nature protection”, Vitaliy Shuptar the national team leader of the ETPACK project says. Ecological tourism is always conserving the environment and improves the well-being of the local people. In this context the project has developing three eco-sites with homestays and 1 souvenir production of traditional handicrafts. “Ecotourism is never connected with big single investments, which bare often high risks both economically and ecologically”, stated Til Dieterich from the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU). When placing conservation of the environment at the centre of the objective, it appropriately takes the main asset of tourism into account: a clean and beautiful, natural environment.

The conference aims at:

• Establishment of ecotourism as a tool for rural development in Kazakhstan
• Offering know-how transfer on best practices from Kazakhstan and abroad
• Contributing to building up a positive image of Kazakhstan serving the tourism development
• Building a platform for governmental, non-governmental and business organizations to discuss eco-tourism development in Kazakhstan
• Linking ecotourism in Kazakhstan to established international networks

There are different definitions on what ecological tourism actually is and the International Ecotourism Society (TIES, www.ecotourism.org) does give the most comprehensive:
“Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”
This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following principles:

• Minimize impacts
• Build environmental and cultural awareness
• Provide positive experiences for both- visitors and hosts
• Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people

The participation in the conference is free of charge. If you are interested in finding out more information, simply visit www.etpack.ecotourism.kz

Source: Etpack

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

the European Union (EU) publishes an annual report on the quality of coastal and freshwater bathing areas, as reported by EU Member States. Since 2009 the European Environment Agency (EEA) and its European Topic Centre on Water have prepared the report in cooperation with the European Commission Directorate-General for the Environment.

Each year millions of Europeans spend their weekends at their local beach or visit Europe’s hugely diverse and beautiful beaches and bathing areas. Naturally, they have a keen interest in the quality of the bathing waters. The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission are therefore pleased to present this year’s bathing water report, which will help Europeans make informed choices about the bathing sites they visit. The report assesses bathing water quality in all 27 EU Member States in 2009, thereby also indicating where the best quality bathing is likely to be found this year.

The overall message in the report is that in 2009, 95.6 % of Europe’s coastal bathing waters and 89.4 % of inland bathing waters met the minimum water quality standards set by the European Bathing Water Directive. This is consistent with the pattern of the last decade when bathing water quality in Europe has largely remained high. Between 2008 and 2009 there was a slight deterioration in the number of bathing waters meeting minimum standards, with reductions of 0.7 % for coastal sites and 2.6 % for inland bathing waters. While such fluctuations are not unusual by the standards of recent years, they remind us of the need for continuing efforts to ensure that the quality of bathing waters is constantly maintained and improved.

This report also illustrates how you as an interested citizen can access more information about bathing waters than ever before. In addition to the annual bathing water report, online tools now let you access data for a selected country or region and make comparisons with previous years. Geospatial mapping programs also allow users to visualise data in new ways. Such tools help respond to the demand for reliable local information, which has grown rapidly in recent years.

Citizens also share a sincere interest in the quality of the marine environment and inland waters more generally. Efforts to improve the quality of bathing waters should therefore not be seen in isolation but in the context of the good ecological and environmental status we aim for in implementing the Water and Marine Framework Directives.

The European Environment Agency would like to encourage readers to make full use of all the information sources presented in the publication. They also encourage you to get more actively involved in protecting the environment and helping to improve Europe’s bathing areas.

The first European bathing water legislation, the ‘Bathing Water Directive’ (2) was adopted in 1975 and came into force in 1976. Its main objectives are to safeguard public health and protect the aquatic environment in coastal and inland areas from pollution.

New European legislation on bathing water was adopted in 2006 (3). The ‘New Bathing Water Directive’ updates the measures of the 1975 legislation and simplifies its management and surveillance methods. It also provides for a more proactive approach to informing the public on water quality and creates four quality categories for bathing waters — ‘poor’, ’sufficient’, ‘good’ and ‘excellent’. The classification of bathing water quality is determined on the basis of a three- or four-year trend instead of a single year’s result, as was the case for the Bathing Water Directive. Therefore, the procedure for assessing quality classes of bathing waters under the New Bathing Water Directive gives more reliable and realistic results than the assessment under the Bathing Water Directive.

The classification under the New Bathing Water Directive is also less susceptible to bad weather or one-off incidents. Heavy rain or similar exceptional situations may cause pollution problems for a few days. In such situations authorities have to introduce immediate measures to lower health risk to bathers.

The New Bathing Water Directive is based on scientific knowledge on protecting health and the environment, as well as environmental management experience. It lays down provisions for more sophisticated monitoring, assessment and classification of bathing water quality. It also provides for better and earlier public information about bathing water quality and public participation, as well as for comprehensive and modern management measures. It requires bathing water profiles to be drawn up describing bathing waters and potential impacts and threats to water quality. These serve both as information for citizens and as a management tool for the responsible authorities, and enable grouping of bathing waters.

The results presented in this report are based on sampling carried out by the authorities in all EU Member States reporting under the Bathing Water Directive or the New Bathing Water Directive.

Bathing Water Directive

The results of sampling are checked against a set of physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. These include testing for the presence of coliform bacteria normally found in faeces and other sources, the colour of the water, residues of petrol-based mineral oils, foam from detergents and toxic acids such as phenol. Other tests can be conducted to verify the presence of salmonella or the acidity (pH) of the bathing water.

Using the results of the sampling for five parameters (total coliforms, faecal coliforms, mineral oils, surface-active substances and phenols) the bathing waters are then classified into the following categories:

• those that comply with the mandatory values;
• those that comply with the more stringent guide values;
• those that do not comply with the mandatory values;
• those that are banned or closed (temporarily or throughout the bathing season).

New Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC)

The New Bathing Water Directive reduces the number of key microbiological parameters to two: intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli. These are the most robust and relevant microbiological indicators for human health. The sampling is complemented by visual inspection to identify, for example, algae bloom and oil.

Using the monitoring results of the sampling for Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci, the inland and coastal bathing waters are then classified into the following categories:

• those that have excellent quality;
• those that have good quality;
• those that have sufficient quality;
• those that have poor quality;
• those that are closed temporarily or throughout the bathing season;
• those that are new (not yet classification possible);
• those where changes occur that affect the classification of a bathing water (meaning that classification is not yet possible after the changes).

The present report presents the 2009 bathing season results and the trends in bathing water quality.

Of the more than 20 000 bathing areas monitored throughout the European Union, two-thirds are in coastal waters and the rest in rivers and lakes. The largest number of coastal bathing waters can be found in Italy, Greece, France, Spain and Denmark, while Germany and France have the highest number of inland bathing waters.

The countries where the highest percentage of bathing waters met the guide values are Greece (99.8 %) (11), Cyprus (99.1 %), France (95.7 %), Malta (93.1 %), Bulgaria (90.3 %) and Portugal (90 %). Countries where more than 80 % of bathing waters meet guide values are Finland (88.5 %), Spain (84 %), Italy (83.5 %), Ireland (82.4 %), Germany (81.2 %) and Sweden (80.6 %).

Pollution takes many forms. For recreational activities, such as swimming, faecal contamination from sewage makes water aesthetically unpleasant and unsafe. Twenty to forty years ago, large quantities of largely uncontrolled, untreated or partially treated municipal and industrial wastewater was being discharged into many of Europe’s waters. Thankfully, due to EU and national water policies and actions to reduce pollution and treat wastewater, Europe’s bathing waters are today much cleaner.

Clean unpolluted water is essential for our ecosystems and economic activities such as tourism. Plants and animals react to changes in their environment caused by changes in water quality. We need to manage our water resources well to sustain human and economic development and improving the essential functions of our water ecosystems. The solutions lie in more integrated and sustainable water resource management, including full implementation of the Water Framework Directive, with its objective that all water bodies should have achieved ‘good status’ by 2015.

Source: European Environment Agency

The conference is MENA region’s annual meeting for the global aviation sector. It offers the opportunity to gain expert insight, network and strategise with aviation experts from around the world and in particular the Middle East and North Africa.

They had over 300 attendees, including all of the region’s network carriers and LCC. The 3rd annual Aviation Outlook MENA 2010 brought together the key stakeholders in the region’s aviation industry. This year there was an addition to the conference. Low Cost Airlines World MENA was included. There was innovation and opportunity for traditional and low cost carriers and investors. The low cost aviation industry has proved its efficiency and profitability to the point that legacy carriers are unveiling plans to launch low cost subsidiaries.

The Middle East and North Africa have positioned themselves at the forefront of the world’s aviation market. Regional low cost carriers have played a key role in increasing air traffic, eating their own markets as well as migrating passengers from legacy carriers.

Low cost carriers are expanding and connecting the dots in their route network through strategic partnerships, coping with the challenges of low cost operations. They are competing not only on price, but convenience, service and experience.

Low cost airlines have emerged in recent years as the leaders in efficiency, meeting market needs, profitability and style.  Legacy carriers are enhancing their offering and their bottom lines by following the lessons of their low cost colleagues. Low Cost does not necessarily mean no frills but it targets airlines keen to adopt low cost operating principles.

In his introductory remarks, Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation put the emphasis on the potential threat of fuel prices if it reaches 100 USD and on the fact that the low cost model is changing the world of air traffic.

The keynote speaker, Adel Ali, CEO of Air Arabia, analyzed the Middle East market stating first that the airports of the region are very well developed and that some of the expenses made to upgrade them are unnecessary making the airports expensive and unattractive.

He continued by presenting the importance of the privatization of Air Arabia that has helped the company to become more efficient in operations and how Air Arabia changed the aviation by opening up new markets and by allowing more people to fly in more stimulating prices.

Lastly, he maintained that air transportation in MENA area is underdeveloped and has a lot to offer to the world and to prove his point he made the comparison between United States that has a population similar to the Arab world but in the MENA area air travel represents only the 15% of the US market despite the fact that air travel is the only mean of transport in this area. He concluded by saying that: “I hope that Air Arabia can be the pan-arab airline”.

The CEO of Egyptair Maintenance and Engineering presented the competitiveness of his company versus other similar companies- namely the geographic location of Cairo. This competitive advantage is based on the low facilities costs, the low cost of labor and he concluded by saying that there is a growing trend for airlines to outsource maintenance.

Mr Nico Bezuidenhout, Chief Executive Officer, Mango Airlines presented how their airline has managed to change the airline industry in South Africa and is now able to fly 4.5 million passengers and to obtaining a 17% market share after the airline was established. Mango, due to the social characteristics of South Africa, which has low access to the Internet has adopted a strategy that included two multi -skilled contact centres, 600 retail stores, more than 1000 travel agencies and offered the passengers the option to buy their tickets by retail credit cards and mobile phone payments.

In the ATR’s presentation of Jerome Gabory, Director Market Strategy stated that short haul routes dictate smaller capacity and higher frequency and it is the increasing competition that often leads to that direction.

In this year’s Aviation Outlook Middle East panel discussion the keynote speaker, Capt Alaa Ashour, Chief Executive Officer of Egyptair, said that they are preparing themselves for the liberalization of the Egyptian market.

In the panel discussion regarding the effect of the crisis and liberalization Majdi Sabri, Regional Vice President IATA said that a revision of the plan of deliveries of aircrafts by the airlines was made and he stated that according to IATA predictions consolidation will not come soon because there are cultural issues blocking such a development but most probably they see the possibility of the emergence of airlines that will not be government owned.

AACO Secretary General, Mr Abdul Waha Teffaha said that Arab airlines haven’t faced any crisis as the traffic has increased by 7% and the Arab airlines have recorded an increase of 11% of RPK and he added that Arab airlines are not subsidized explaining that government requirements to fly to non -profitable routes does not mean government support. He concluded by saying that liberalization will come sooner or later to the arab world and soon the area will see a euromed area since privatization is a must.

Nawal Taneja stated that the competitive landscape is changing and he offered two examples of crucial emerging trends: on the one hand there are legacy carriers, as for example American Airlines, that outsource most of their domestic services and on the other hand there is the increasing control customers have over the travel parameters via mobile internet, mobile devices, social media and search engines. Such developments are radically changing air traffic.

IATA Regional Vice President, Majdi Sabri, presented the situation of MENA by saying that MENA is the most dynamic aviation area recording an increase of 11.2% in passenger traffic and of 3.9% in cargo during 2009 in comparison to 2008 and the forecast for 2010 is 15.20%. He also said that the fleet of the region will double by 2018.

CEO of Airport International Group, Curtis Grad said that during 2009 20 airlines added new destinations or increased their capacity and that Amman has by now a good reach from New York to Hong Kong with 560 flights per week, 36 of which performed by low cost airlines.

Finally, the Director General of Lebanon, Dr Hamdi Chaouk, in his speech emphasized the need for unified rules and regulations since in some cases the regulator follows the airline and air traffic developments. He also stressed that regulator should be free and capable of applying enforcement rules.

Professionals of the industry, their clients and their users as well as the airlines and many different research organizations are all eager to find solutions in order to reduce the impact that their activities have on the environment. This is fantastic news for green travelers who have no alternative for long distance travel. Air travel requires massive intervention and this Green Aviation Show is the perfect forum for developing creative, eco-friendly ways to reduce and ultimately prevent carbon emissions.

The Green Aviation Show will be taking place in June 2010, from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th. It is organized by the National Air and Space Museum on the grounds of Paris-Le Bourget airport, the exhibit is sponsored by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and its director, Patrick Gandil, who anticipates that “this ‘green’ aviation exhibit at the Bourget will become a platform with a flight plan highlighting environmental enhancement with real positive impact”. The development of sustainable mobility is the result of a particular awareness towards the protection of the environment and a change in mentalities and habits. The concept of “green aviation” will trigger the introduction of new and often complex technological concepts and will also be a great source of information.

In order to provide the best informative tools to understand this ever evolving sector, the 2nd edition of the Green Aviation Show at the Bourget has several goals:

• TO EXPLAIN: Booths, educational workshops, conferences.
• TO SHOW: Permanent exhibit, animations.
• TO SUPPORT: R&D and school projects area.
• TO SURPRISE : First ecological airshow.

Here are some of the key points that will be looked at:

REDUCE AIR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT

Technological innovations

• Using new and lighter materials
• New designs and streamlined devices
•  Cut into energy consumption for aircraft
• Development of engines with better efficiency
• Use of products with less ecological impact
• Test of alternative fuels

Sustainability of operations

• More efficient on ground and in flight procedures
• Reduction of aircraft’ dry weight
• Optimization of air traffic worldwide
• Recycling of aircraft and use of recycled materials
• New rules and regulations regarding the environment

Better infrastructures

• Settings of ecological standards for airports
• Use of emission free airport vehicles
• Cleaning of aircraft using biodegradable products
• Recovery and processing of the de-icing liquid
• Use of airport ground electricity rather than auxiliary engines

The aeronautical constructors and operators will present their innovations in their booths.

GET READY FOR THE POST OIL ERA

Air sports and leisure combine performance and respect for the environment with radically innovative machines that are presented on the market and shown as “demonstrators”.

General aviation has also committed to an “ecological turn” and fostered the implementation of alternative energies. Industries, associations and individuals are expanding many programs to display in the sky a whole new generation of devices.

Champions of energy and environmental performance, often perfectly silent, are the “new birds” powered through electronics, solar power, 2nd generation biofuels or hydrogen. They have been reconciled with the planet as well as airfield neighborhoods and opponents to recreational aviation.

Balloon, airship, paragliding, microlight, light aircraft, helicopter and drone: all these types of machines now have green models. Spread in a village, booths and aircraft exhibitions provoke visitors’ curiosity. Aviation enthusiasts and environmental citizens have the opportunity to discover the precursors of the present and future aviation with just a walk on the tarmac.

THE FIRST ‘ZERO EMISSION’ AIRSHOW

For the first time in the world, the Green Aviation Show proposes a flight demonstration program which, by focusing on electrical and non-motorised flight, has (almost) no environmental impact.

“Emission Free” flying vehicles

• Solar dirigible balloon with hydrogen
• Electrical “Paramotor”
• Electrical and hydrogen microlight
• Light electrical aircraft, with hydrogen and/or solar system
• Glider
• Hang-glider
• Paraglider
• Electrical scale models

Transitional solutions

• Diesel cycle engine
• Biomass fuel
• Quieter propeller

Animations come to punctuate the program: electrical scale models demonstrations, motogliders fly-in…

ON THE TRACK OF THE FUTURE

Revolutionary designs with pure lines, amazing performances erasing distances, environmental impact close to zero: tomorrows’ aircraft generates much hope.

Exposed to ecological challenges, manufacturers, engineers, researchers and students endeavor to solve the paradoxical equation: how to combine air transportations inevitable growth while decreasing emissions and noise?

Born from 3D modeling, many projects illustrate this futuristic research. But among them, which ones will really leave the science fiction field? And when?

With over 250 million tons of CO2 sent into the atmosphere each year, which doubles every 15 years and there being 26,000 transport aircrafts in 2009, you can only imagine the aviation industries carbon contribution. The Green Aviation Show hopes to create a forum where the industry can create solutions, both technological innovations and operational improvements.

To make aviation become green, means more than ever to reconcile progress and the future!

Source: Green Aviation

ALTA, the Latin American & Caribbean Air Transport Association, and its members are staying true to their commitment for a more environmentally-friendly industry. As unanimously passed during ALTA’s Annual General Meeting in October 2009, the association is continuing to work on a variety of initiatives in support of the industry’s commitment to reduce average emissions by 1.5 percent per year by 2020, to become carbon neutral by 2020, and a goal of 50 percent reduction in net emissions by 2050 compared to 2005. In addition, ALTA continues to support a global solution, through ICAO.

ALTA commends three of its members who have joined forces to lead Latin America’s commitment to cleaner skies. TAM, with the help of Airbus and CFM International, will hold Latin America’s first demonstration flight with bio-kerosene using Brazilian vegetable biomass, the Jatropha plant. Studies point to a reduction of up to 80 percent in carbon emissions.

“We are proud of innovators TAM, Airbus and CFM International in underscoring Latin America’s commitment to cleaner skies,” says ALTA’s Executive Director Alex de Gunten. “We will continue supporting the airlines and the industry as we reiterate our commitment to serving as a channel for sharing best practices in order to achieve a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly air transport industry.”

TAM plans to hold a demonstration flight (non-commercial) in the second half of 2010 with a mixture of aviation bio-fuel that includes Brazilian vegetable biomass, the Jatropha plant. The airplane will be a TAM Airbus A320 equipped with CFM56-5B engines produced by CFM International, 50/50 joint company of GE on the United States and Snecma (Safran Group) of France.

TAM´s CEO, Líbano Barroso, highlights that the company honors its social and sustainability commitments through such an initiative: “We have put forth our best efforts to use Brazilian raw materials in the production of this bio-fuel, with significant economic and social gains. A source of aviation bio-kerosene, the biomass is 100 percent domestic, resulting from family agricultural projects and large farms in the hinterlands of Brazil, devoted to the pioneer cultivation of the Jatropha.”

TAM has already ensured the availability of this aviation bio-fuel for the demonstration flight. Through the Brazilian Association of Jatropha Producers (ABPPM), the airline has acquired seeds from Jatropha producers in the North, Southeast and Center West of the country, arranged to transform them into semi-refined oil and exported this to the USA, where UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, processed the Jatropha oil into bio-kerosene and its mixture with conventional aviation kerosene, in a 50 percent ratio for each component.

This demonstration flight will be the very first experience of that genre in Latin America, with an innovative combination of this type of airplane and engine flying with aviation bio-kerosene produced from the Jatropha. The carrying of the demonstration flight will be aligned with the aeronautic authorities.

The Supply Chain and International Contracts Director at TAM, José Maluf, explains: “We are working with the valuable cooperation of CFM International and Airbus to hold this flight in which we will use an Airbus A320 in operation in our fleet in domestic and internationals lines in South America.”

TAM is surveying its participation in the development of the production chain for this vegetable biomass fuel to create a Brazilian sustainable bio-fuel platform. Known by the scientific name of “Jatropha Curcas L.”, this shrub is a plant that does not compete with the food chain, as it is not meant for human or animal consumption, and it can be intercropped with pastures and food crops.

Through a joint effort with ABPPM, TAM intends to study means to further develop the Jatropha sustainable production at commercial scale, with an eye on transforming it into aviation bio-fuel. The surveys carried out by ABPPM show that presently there are 60 thousand hectares of land in Brazil with Jatropha plantations. Considering the natural resources and the favorable climatic conditions, a large amount of degraded pastures might be recovered with this plant. To be able to attain a commercial scale, estimates show that it would be necessary to expand the cultivated surface by about one million hectares, sufficient to service approximately 20 percent of the domestic consumption.

“Airbus is exploring all types of alternative fuels because we believe there will be different solutions for different parts of the world. Any solution should be commercially viable and sustainable with no impact on people, land, food nor water, and should involve local jobs for local people. We call this the value chain, and this TAM initiative with Airbus is another step in this direction,” said Paul Nash, Airbus head of New Energies.

Well-to-wake Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) carried out by Michigan Technological University in conjunction with Honeywell’s UOP show that aviation biofuels made from Jatropha using the UOP Green Jet Fuel process can achieve a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions between 65 and 80 percent relative to petroleum-derived jet fuel.

The cultivation and harvest of the Jatropha, done in a responsible fashion, add social and economic value to local communities and do not compete with the production of food or potable water sources, complying with principles set forth by the SAFUG (Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group), a group joined by TAM formally on November 11, 2009. The SAFUG is made up of large international airlines whose aim is that of speeding up the development and marketing of new sustainable fuels for the aviation market.

Beyond the SAFUG requirements, through this project TAM will also follow concepts and criteria established by the RSB (Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels), a renowned international organization of acknowledged technical and scientific prestige, focused on the best production practices, the use and transportation of bio-fuels with regards to social, environmental and economic responsibilities in the transportation segment.

ALTA supports a global sectoral approach to deal with CO2 emissions, through ICAO, that recognizes the special needs of airlines based in developing countries and which takes into account the relative efficiencies and efforts made by the various airlines, such as Latin America’s fleet renewal program.

ALTA, along with regional airline associations from around the world, recently reaffirmed their commitment to the industry-wide effort to reduce aviation’s impact on climate change through three targets: a 1.5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency annually from 2010; a cap on net carbon emissions from 2020 through carbon-neutral growth; and a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, compared with 2005 levels. These targets remain the most appropriate tools for addressing aviation’s carbon emissions while allowing sustainable growth, which recognizes the industry’s vital contribution to economic and social development around the world.

ALTA urges States to support ICAO as the most appropriate forum for addressing aviation emissions issues. It is essential that States agree to a global framework for aviation, to be implemented by ICAO.

ALTA and the industry have a plan for reducing emissions that is appropriate, ambitious and allows the industry to continue to grow responsibly while keeping climate change in check. The aviation sector has shown unprecedented support for a single, united vision to reduce emissions. ALTA is taking action to meet its targets. The world’s governments must now take up the challenge by moving forward with emissions-savings initiatives under their control, such as air traffic control modernization and in adopting a truly global approach to aviation and climate change through their representation at ICAO.

Source: Alta

Innovation

View the famous, Cri-Cri an electric four-engined plane. There will be daily presentations brought to you by EADS Innovation Work.  This ultra light airplane flies with extraordinary performance which you can witness when demonstrations are carried out on the track of the airport, Bourget. 

A solar plane has an equally notable presence. The Sunseeker II is displayed by its designer, the famous American pilot, Eric Raymond.  It flies by gliding using solar energy. Its wings are covered in panels of photomicrons which allow for the necessary energy to take-off.  Eric Raymond will also present his Sunseeker III project, a solar Stemme.

This aeronautical event will also be marked by the presence of every type of new generation balloon in order to display the variation of their functions. One such balloon is the Space-Bike, dirigible with 160m3 provided through battery power. This will be raised on the tarmac and is intended for maritime assistance or for the transportation of heavy loads.

Equally Evolutionary Airplanes

• e-FunFlyer 600, paramoteur électrique (Adventure)
• Planeur bi-place ASK 13 (FFVV)
• Téléporteur FR102 (Flying Robots)
• Elektra One, monoplace électrique (PC-Aéro)
• Alatus-M, motoplaneur ultraléger électrique (RandKar)
• Razmott, paramoteur électrique (Razeebuss Aircraft)
• Demoichellec, ULM électrique (APEV)
• Paramoteur électrique (Yuneec)
• Motoplaneur (Stemme)

Watch this space for further insight and updates on exciting events taking place at the Green Aviation Show.

Source: Green Aviation

According to a recent survey for Take the Family, 86 per cent of parents consider the environment when they are choosing a holiday. This shows us that families are the biggest group of travelers likely to opt for a low carbon footprint getaway. With the youth of today’s growing knowledge of the effects of humans on the planet, it is no surprise that parents are being influenced by their green offspring and therefore becoming greener and more conscience themselves. Having said all this, what are the options for the family holiday?
Travelling closer to Home
The first option is to find out what holidays are available close to home because the less travelling you do, the less environmental impact you will have. British holidays in particular have come on a long way from miserable, dull boarding houses, in even bleaker and drearier weather. Although British weather will always be British weather, there are fantastic options available for the annual family break, the most popular being the seaside holiday. There are however great up and coming facilities echoing the eco-theme. Rock-pooling is as much fun as ever, but attractions such as the many Sea-Life Centres or independent aquaria, including the ones at Macduff beside Scotland’s Moray Firth and in the Welsh coastal town of Aberaeron, help to provide further insights into the life in our seas.

Further inland, there are other fun and exciting holiday ventures because holiday companies have jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon and created holidays to be remembered. Farm holidays remain popular, but a wide range of activities are also now on offer, from the traditional such as boating, cycling and horse-riding, to the more unusual – kite surfing, willow crafting and falconry – and all with suitably eco-friendly accommodation provided.
For the inquiringly eco-minded, the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) at Machynlleth have a new luxury hostel for stays there, while the t of the family can try the first eco-friendly roller coaster in the world at Greenwood Park in Snowdonia. Other possibilities include the Project Eco Lodge in Sussex, the Loch Ossian Eco Hostel on Rannoch Moor, which uses renewable energy, recycles water and even has bat-friendly paint, or Centre Parcs – a “flagship for its environmental practice” according to David Sheppard, of English Nature. Even families with very special needs can enjoy a British eco-friendly getaway – the likes of the Thomas Shop, offering respite care amid the beautiful countryside along the River Ithon in mid-Wales.

Following the Sun

It is not only the domestic holiday market which is focusing on eco-friendly travel, many tour and travel operators are offering foreign holidays which also help parents do their bit for the planet. Responsible Travel, for instance, have a vast array of eco-friendly family holidays, ranging from mainstream venues such as France, Greece, Spain, Thailand, Morocco and America to the more unusual, including Transylvania, Mozambique and Costa Rica. Even where the venue is well known, their trips often provide a unique slant – seeing jungles and islands in Thailand or living like a nomad in Morocco, for instance. In each case, the company explains very clearly what it is about each holiday that makes a difference and why it should be considered an eco-friendly break.
There are other companies also offering green family trips. The Adventure Company offer a farm holiday with a difference – letting children look after animals and grow herbs in the beautiful countryside in the hills around Sorrento and with Exclusive Escapes, the family can get away to Turkey’s Yediburunlar Lighthouse eco-hotel. Karnataka have rainforest retreat holidays on an organic plantation in Southern India’s Western Ghats, Eco-Africa provide authentic African adventures and Mount Hyland Forest Lodge is an eco-friendly haven set in 1,000 acres amid Australia’s World Heritage forests.
“Mainstream” getaways have also been refined to meet the demands of the eco-travelling family. Suitable beach holidays, for instance, are available from a range of operators, offering the obligatory sun and sand in destinations from the familiar Algarve to the more exotic shores of Venezuela, Belize or Zanzibar. At the other end of the temperature scale, ski centres have risen to the challenge, with resorts such as Progression Ski, Saas Fee, Neustift in Europe together with Aspen and the Vail resorts in the US representing this new environmentally aware breed.
Whatever makes your ideal family holiday – be it active, relaxed, innovative or traditional – a low-impact version can be yours without literally costing the earth, which is good news when it comes to dealing with the most relentless of green pressure groups – your own kids!

How does a hotel achieve Green Globe certification?

Step 1 : the hotel registers on a voluntary basis,

Step 2 : Green Globe monitors and assesses the hotel’s performances (implementation of a sustainable development policy, water consumption, energy consumption, waste management, paper consumption, pesticide use, cleaning and hygiene product use, local community involvement),

Step 3 : based on the performance assessment, the hotel implements a plan of action and practical measures to improve its weak points and achieve the goals set by Green Globe,

Step 4 :assuming these steps lead to an improvement in the hotel’s performance and meet the Green Globe requirements, the hotel is certified by external, independent auditors.

Source: Novotel Hotels