Source: Virgin Blue Airlines Author: 06/06/2007
Subject Concerned: Government Opinion Airlines
On June 6, Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey called on the aviation sector and all organisations which emit green house gases to work actively to 'reduce and report' their efforts to offset and limit emissions as part of Australia's increasing effort to mitigate climate change.
Mr Godfrey delivered a 15 minute address "Winds of Change" in Perth.
"Airlines and all businesses that emit high levels of greenhouse gas must accept accountability for their damaging by-products," Mr Godfrey said.
"My organisation and all other emitters including Australia's airlines need to ensure they become more efficient, in the interests of continuous improvement in limiting and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions relayed to their activities," he said.
"Importantly we also must encourage Governments to support the introduction of a national carbon trading scheme with clear targets as soon as possible. This is the clearest mechanism available to induce market driven investment in new energy sources. Additionally we need to determine measurable and achievable smaller targets to allow for intervention and correction along the way," he said.
"We also see an opportunity for business and Governments to work together on a solution which could offer tax credits and other fiscal incentives to unlock private enterprise in research and development," he said.