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Global Exec Aviation recently announced their partnership with Carbonfund.org by joining their CarbonFree Jet Program. This program will calculate the monthly fuel burn of the jet charter fleet of Global Exec Aviation who in turn will donate money to Carbonfund.org.

The Carbonfund.org will purchase and retire carbon offsets on their behalf. According to Global Exec Aviation President Ramon Manriquez, “Through the Carbonfund.org CarbonFree Jet Charter Program, we can offer our clients the travel options they require while taking action on climate change. Offsetting private jet carbon footprints contributes to projects that are third-party certified to meet the same high standards that thousands of companies, organizations, and governments rely on to ensure quality environmental protection.” For more information on this exciting program, contact the aviation professionals at Global Exec Aviation at +1.562.424.0663 or visit their website at www.GlobalExecAviation.com

 A carbon offset is a financial instrument aimed at a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO₂e) and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases.  One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.

There are two markets for carbon offsets. In the larger, compliance market, companies, governments, or other entities buy carbon offsets in order to comply with caps on the total amount of carbon dioxide they are allowed to emit. In 2006, about $5.5 billion of carbon offsets were purchased in the compliance market, representing about 1.6 billion metric tons of CO₂e reductions.

In the much smaller, voluntary market, individuals, companies, or governments purchase carbon offsets to mitigate their own greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity use, and other sources. For example, an individual might purchase carbon offsets to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions caused by personal air travel. Many companies offer carbon offsets as an up-sell during the sales process so that customers can mitigate the emissions related with their product or service purchase (such as offsetting emissions related to a vacation flight, car rental, hotel stay, consumer good, etc.). In 2008, about $705 million of carbon offsets were purchased in the voluntary market, representing about 123.4 million metric tons of CO₂e reductions.

Offsets are typically achieved through financial support of projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the short- or long-term. The most common project type is renewable energy, such as wind farms, biomass energy, or hydroelectric dams. Others include energy efficiency projects, the destruction of industrial pollutants or agricultural byproducts, destruction of landfill methane, and forestry projects.  Some of the most popular carbon offset projects from a corporate perspective are energy efficiency and wind turbine projects.

Carbon offsetting has gained some appeal and momentum mainly among consumers in western countries who have become aware and concerned about the potentially negative environmental effects of energy-intensive lifestyles and economies. The Kyoto Protocol has sanctioned offsets as a way for governments and private companies to earn carbon credits which can be traded on a marketplace. The protocol established the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which validates and measures projects to ensure they produce authentic benefits and are genuinely “additional” activities that would not otherwise have been undertaken. Organizations that are unable to meet their emissions quota can offset their emissions by buying CDM-approved Certified Emissions Reductions.

Offsets may be cheaper or more convenient alternatives to reducing one’s own fossil-fuel consumption. However, some critics object to carbon offsets, and question the benefits of certain types of offsets.

Offsets are viewed as an important policy tool to maintain stable economies. One of the hidden dangers of climate change policy is unequal prices of carbon in the economy, which can cause economic collateral damage if production flows to regions or industries that have a lower price of carbon – unless carbon can be purchased from that area, which offsets effectively permit, equalizing the price. Global Exec Aviation is a private jet air carrier currently offering carbon offsets to their clients when they fly. Contact their professionals at: 1-562-424-0663 for more information!

NEW JETS BURN LESS FUEL, MAKE LESS NOISE, FAST, AND THE NEW ARE THE NEW WAY TO JET SET!

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By ANN KEETON

The global aviation industry and countries around the world are finding more common ground to set goals to battle long-term climate change, the head of the International Air Transport Association said Saturday.

Late Friday, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a body representing nearly 200 countries on aviation issues, for the first time issued a declaration with targets for cutting the amount of harmful emissions that the aviation industry puts into the air.

In a conference call from Montreal, IATA Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said the results were better than he had expected when the diverse group began its meeting Thursday, although there is still a gap in the goals of industry and governments.

The civil-aviation organization said Friday that it wants the aviation industry to achieve annual average aircraft fuel efficiency of 2% per year to 2020, with an “aspirational goal” of an additional 2% annual improvement through 2050.

In 2007, IATA had announced its current goal for 1.5% fuel-efficiency improvement to 2020, with carbon-neutral growth after that, leading to a 50% net reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, as compared to 2005 emissions.

There is nothing aspirational about the plan by IATA, Mr. Bisignani said. All industry players — including the airline members of IATA, aircraft manufacturers, airports and navigation organizations — have agreed that the technology exists now to meet the stated targets.

Mr. Bisignani said the aviation industry is unique among businesses because it has set tough global climate-change standards for itself ahead of government decisions. He plans to meet Monday with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to press the IATA agenda. “Our industry can be a role model for other industries to follow,” he said.

Mr. Bisignani said the declaration by the civil-aviation group will help form a framework for discussions at the U.N.’s meeting on climate control in Copenhagen in December.

Governments world-wide can help make greater cuts in emissions by encouraging development of biofuels and updating air traffic systems, he said. There is proven technology for biofuels that produce less harmful emissions and save energy resources. So far, however, there haven’t been any government incentives to spur production.

Global standards for emissions reduction are difficult for countries to agree on. Mr. Bisignani said it is important to give countries enough time to meet their goals.

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