Costa Rica’s NatureAir joins Climate Neutral Network
NatureAir, the world’s first carbon neutral airline has joined the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net), an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The network, whose participants include countries, cities, major international companies, UN agencies and leading NGOs, promotes global action towards low-carbon economies and societies.
“With the airline industry contributing an estimated three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions - nearly as much as the entire African continent, it is vital that solutions to the climate change challenge come from within the industry itself. I welcome NatureAir to the Climate Neutral Network as a trailblazer on the path to zero emissions air travel,” says Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director.
Based in Costa Rica, NatureAir operates in 17 destinations throughout Costa Rica and Panama and brings 60+ percent of its passengers within 10 kilometers from national parks or other ecotourism destinations. It has become one of the fastest growing regional airlines in Central America with 20 percent growth rate per year.
in 2004, the airline pledged to offset all of NatureAir’s carbon emissions through the protection of tropical forests in southern Costa Rica. Carbon credits are purchased from the government’s pioneering payment for environmental services scheme. Costa Rica was one of the first countries to join CN NET and aims to be climate neutral by 2021.
NatureAir has increased its fuel efficiency in its flight operations with the use of twin-engine fleet, crew training, reducing aircraft weight and improved flight planning. The company’s subsidiary fuel company has converted the airline’s ground fleet to biofuels.
Says Alex E. Khajavi, NatureAir Founder and CEO: “In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, we have found that sharing our knowledge and lessons learned is the best way to assist other companies at improving their sustainability programmes. With the help of CN Net we can bridge the gap and encourage other aviation companies to turn carbon neutral.”
Through its free, interactive website, CN Net offers a platform for participants to present their climate neutrality strategies to the world.
Tags: aviation companies, carbon emissions, carbon neutral airline, Central America, cities, clean, climate change challenge, Climate Neutral Network, climate neutrality, CN Net, costa rica, countries, ecotourism, energy efficiency, flying, global action, global greenhouse gas emissions, green transportation, Green Travel, low-carbon economies, major international companies, national parks, NatureAir, NGOs, Panama, renewable energy, societies, solutions, sustainability programmes, trailblazer, tropical forests, UN agencies, UNEP, United Nations Environment Programme, zero emissions air travelRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Green Places Central America, Green Travel, Green Websites, Uncategorized
1 opinion for Costa Rica’s NatureAir joins Climate Neutral Network
Costa-Rica » Line 6 FloorPOD: When In Costa Rica, Keep Your Floor Clean And ...
Dec 2, 2008 at 9:05 am
[...] Costa Rica’s NatureAir joins Climate Neutral NetworkBased in Costa Rica, NatureAir operates in 17 destinations throughout Costa Rica and Panama and brings 60+ percent of its passengers within 10 kilometers from national parks or other ecotourism destinations. … [...]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: