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Reducing Our Environmental Footprint
Our Environmental and Climate Change Policies
Photo: Boeing Photo
With airplanes crossing international borders every day, Boeing believes that a global emissions framework is needed.
Boeing is committed to
- Conducting operations in compliance with applicable environmental laws, regulations, and Boeing policies and procedures.
- Preventing pollution by conserving energy and resources, recycling, reducing waste and pursuing other source reduction strategies.
- Continually improving our environmental management system.
- Working together with our stakeholders on activities that promote environmental protection and stewardship.
Boeing believes that climate change is a serious environmental challenge that requires credible action. Recognizing this, we are committed to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from our facilities and products.
As the global community develops approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we acknowledge that voluntary measures alone may not be enough. Consequently, we support development of mandatory, yet flexible frameworks to address emission reductions. Boeing recognizes that appropriate action may vary from one sector to another. A comprehensive approach should take into account the most effective way to deal with each industry sector.
Global Approach to Aviation Emissions
Since aviation is a global industry, with airplanes crossing international borders every day, Boeing believes that a global system is needed. We advocate that a global emissions framework for aviation can best be achieved under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations organization.
Working through ICAO, aviation was the first industry to present a clear plan to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference. ICAO calls for global guidelines including the development of a CO2 standard for aircraft, improvements in air traffic control systems to cut air travel-related emissions by up to 12 percent, and continued efforts to promote the commercialization of sustainable alternative fuels — all with the aim of achieving carbon-neutral growth across commercial aviation by 2020.
The aviation industry promoted this approach at the UN climate change conferences in Copenhagen in 2009 and Cancun in 2010. Our industry is expected to continue advancing this global approach at the 2011 conference in South Africa. Boeing fully supports the ICAO position on controlling aerospace emissions and, along with the rest of the aviation industry, we are working toward meeting these commitments.
Boeing does not believe that isolated regional or national programs to regulate aviation emissions will achieve the desired environmental, economic and social results. Competitive distortions and delay of financial investment in aviation emissions reductions through technology could result from such localized approaches.