IATA environmental assessment scheme gathers momentum

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GREEN TRAVEL
IATA environmental assessment scheme gathers momentum
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Five airlines have recently successfully completed stages of the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme, a voluntary two-stage evaluation process designed to drive airline environmental performance improvements through independent assessment.

The International Air Transport Association said in a statement that Finnair and South African Airways had completed the IEnvA Stage 2 assessment, the highest level of IEnvA achievement.

This ensures that an airline has implemented all of the IEnvA programme standards, identified and mitigated its significant environmental impacts, and has set performance targets.

Stage 2 also certifies that an airline has developed processes for monitoring and reviewing its performance against its environmental targets and objectives.

Meanwhile, Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines have completed IEnvA Stage 1, which ensures an airline has established a foundation and framework for its environmental management system.

Stage 1 also certifies a carrier has identified and complied with its environmental legal requirements.

These five airlines join a growing number of carriers that have already successfully completed IEnvA Stage 1 assessments, namely Air Transat, Kenya Airways, LATAM, LATAM Cargo and Malaysia Airlines.

"These airlines are among the pioneers in this critical new programme. IATA's audits and assessment schemes are impartial, independent evaluations designed to improve industry performance against global benchmarks. The IATA Operational Safety Audit has done much to help improve airline safety and we expect that the IEnvA will do the same for environmental standards," said Tony Tyler, IATA's director-general and CEO.

The IEnvA programme uses environmental standards and recommended practices developed specifically for the aviation sector by a joint team of environmental experts from within and outside the industry. These are based on recognised environmental management system principles, such as ISO 14001.

Assessments are conducted by accredited independent organisations with competencies in aviation and environmental auditing.

The system has been developed in conjunction with airlines so that it addresses industry needs and specific concerns.

IEnvA assesses environmental performance against sustainability standards across a broad range of disciplines, including - but not limited to - the management of air quality and emissions, noise, fuel consumption and operational efficiency, recycling, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement, and biofuel utilisation.

In 2009, the industry agreed to cap emissions through carbon-neutral growth from 2020, and cut net emissions by 50 per cent - compared to 2005 - by 2050, through a combination of technology and operations improvements, better use of infrastructure, and the implementation of a global market-based measure.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/IATA-environmental-assessment-scheme-gathers-momen-30252593.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-25

[eliotness]

Just checked the internet, seems none of the world's biggest airlines are involved in IEnvA, which in itself a poor choice of letters as it suggests the old "Institute of Environmental Assessment". There is a whole set of applicable standards under the ISO 1400 banner, so I am very dubious when an industry develops it's own environmental standards, and if the really big players, e.g. American, aren't involved then it sounds more like a sales pitch to attract "green" passengers.