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

This was a major step forward by committing to a global gap on the industry's emissions in 2020, said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General as the 65th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit formally opened here.

The airline industry was the first global industry to make such a bold commitment, Bisignani said.

There are three sequential goals to complete carbon-zero growth, including a 1.5 percent average annual improvement in fuel efficiency from 2009 to 2020, according to the IATA.

The goals also included efforts for a 50 percent absolute reduction in carbon emission by 2050.

All air transport industry players were united in their proactive approach to environment, with a cross industry four-pillar strategy on climate change, Bisignani said.

The strategy, which focused on improved technology, effective operation, efficient infrastructure and positive economic measures, was delivering results, he said.

In 2009, the carbon footprint of air transport was expected to shrink 7 percent -- 2 percent from IATA's four pillar strategy and5 percent due to the recession, said Basignani.

Basignani noted that the commitment needed to be matched by governments.

"ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) must set binding carbon emission standards on manufacturers for new aircraft," said Basignani, adding that a legal and fiscal framework to support the availability of sustainable biofuels must be established.

Basignani also said that governments must work with air navigation service providers to push forward major infrastructure projects to achieve the airlines' commitment on environment.

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2009)