Kevin Dobby, International  Aviation Adviser, acted as biofuels rapporteur for Day 1 of the Aviation and Environment Summit. He concluded that the biofuels technology works and that the drop-in model is the right one. However, there remain questions that need to be answered, such as standards for sustainability, as well as other economic factors. For his complete presentation, see the video below.

Kurt Schaad, Executive Producer for Swiss National Television, was the rapporteur for driving aviation efficiency. He explained that new initiatives are pushing 'out of the box', although numerous challenges remain in the areas of technology, operations and infrastructure. Schaad concluded by reminding us that 'all discussions need global solutions.' Click on the video to view his presentation.

Billy Glover from Boeing addressed delegates at the Aviation and Environment Summit about the future of sustainable biofuels in aviation. He explained that biofuels had moved from 'possibility to feasibility' and that the industry needed to adopt a 'can do' attitude.

To see the full presentation, click on the link below.

(Photo by JustinHession/Getty)

"From a communications perspective, making a special announcement on April 1st is a challenge," Philippe Rochat, the former Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group, noted this morning at the Aviation & Environment Summit in Geneva. But undeterred, major groups in the aviation industry signed a Declaration calling for the rapid implementation of Performance-based Navigation (PBN), an air navigation concept that leads to safety, efficiency and environmental improvements for aircraft, particularly on their approach to an airport.

PBN has already been put in place in a number of airports, where the benefits have become very clear. For example, Qantas and Airservices Australia have developed PBN arrival procedures for Australian airports. In the first year, Qantas flew 1612 PBN approaches to Brisbane in low visibility conditions, which reduced normal distance flown by 17,300 nautical miles and reduced CO2 emissions by 650,000 kg. Overall, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that shorter PBN routes could cut CO2 emissions by 13 million tonnes per year if globally implemented.

The Declaration, backed by organisations such as ICAO, IATA, CANSO, IFATCA and ACI calls upon all leaders of the civil aviation community to actively implement PBN in accordance with ICAO provisions. Implementing PBN requires a true total industry approach, hence the wide industry support. It also reaffirms how important global cooperation is to the success of projects such as this. It's a theme we've seen time and again at this Summit and it was great to see a real example of it this morning.

As CANSO Secretary General Alexander ter Kuile said, "From the perspective of air navigation services, it does not get any better than this."

Click here to view the Declaration and the signatories.

"100 aircraft flying on biofuels can save 500,000 people from poverty," said Peter Bakker, Chief Executive Officer of TNT, to a packed room at the Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva, discussing how TNT is using biofuels . TNT is running a project to produce aviation biofuel from jatropha.

To produce the jatropha sustainably, TNT hired 17,000 farming families in Malawi, who are living at the poverty threshold, to plant 24,000 jatropha trees in addition to their normal farming activities. The jatropha plants do not compete with food crops and are grown on degraded land without using irrigation, and the jatropha nuts can be crushed to produce oil that is converted into jet fuel. TNT plans to expand this to 250 million plants, which researchers believe would produce enough fuel for 100 planes.

It was an exciting example of the practical implications of producing and using sustainable biofuels, while generating development benefits.

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of British Airways, believes that the industry has to continue funding environmental research, despite concerns that losses and weak forecasts might result in airlines cutting back their environmental programmes.

Jennifer Holmgren, Honeywell UOP, speaking about aviation biofuels at the Summit

(Photo by Justin Hession/Getty for the Air Transport Action Group)

We’re getting to the end of the day and it has been tremendously exciting to see all the delegates interacting and listening to the comments from the sessions.

One of the major topics focused on this year has been the prospects for alternative fuels for aviation. It’s a little known fact that the industry now has a target for 10% use of biofuels by 2017, which would be an amazing achievement. When I worked on the UK Sustainable Aviation project in 2005, we were told that kerosene would be the only game in town until at least the middle of the next decade. Even the 2006 Update, which did reference alternative fuels, concluded that despite some advances “Notwithstanding the above developments, kerosene is a safe, high energy density fuel and is likely to remain the fuel of choice for the foreseeable future.”  Little could we have known that just three years later a plane would fly with a biofuel mix, and that not only would it prove to be viable, but it would in fact prove to burn even cleaner than kerosene.

There remain many technological and logistical challenges of course before we see biofuel playing a significant role. But the debates in the hall today showed that aviation has faced similar challenges before, and has conquered them.  The Solar Impulse project points the way – albeit even further in the distance – to an even more exciting future. Completely carbon-free flight.

It is events like this which show that the aviation industry has lost none of its pioneering spirit, even in these difficult economic times. Let’s hope the politicians make similarly far-sighted decisions later this year.

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of British Airways, addressed the Aviation and Environment Summit about best operational practice for airlines. Walsh recognised that the economy had replaced the environment as the key public concern in recent months, although he highlighted that this change did not translate into changing priorities for airlines. The environment remains a key priority for British Airways (BA) and other airlines, with the economy and environment presenting a win - win situation. Investment in fuel efficient measures (including new airplanes, route shortening, reducing the weight of aircraft, to name but a few) reduces the amount of fuel consumed, decreasing both cost and carbon dioxide emissions. Walsh added that BA aims to cut CO2 emissions by 50% by 2050 and is absolutely committed to IATA's four-pillar strategy on climate change.

According to biofuels specialists at the Aviation and Environment Summit, sustainable biofuels should be a recognisable part of the fuel mix by 2015. Billy Glover, Managing Director, Environmental Strategy for Boeing, explained that there are a variety of solutions (including jatropha, camelina and algae), with the recent test flights showing that biofuels have moved from 'possibility to feasability.' The fuel certification process is also being accelerated, although there is still a need to fill in the gaps on commercialisation and to bring together the supply chain. This is not a small task, but nor is it impossible. As Jennifer Holmgren, General Manager, Renewable Energy and Chemical Business Unit, Honeywell UOP, put it 'in a journey of a thousand miles, the first step is the most important.'

These were the words of Alexander ter Kuile, Secretary General of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation at the opening of the Aviation and Environment Summit 2009 in Geneva. This philosophy was confirmed by other leaders in the aviation industry as they came together to review their progress on last year's commitment towards carbon neutral growth. As Paul Steele, Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), put it 'declarations are only words and declarations must be translated into actions.' From airlines to manufacturers, airports to international associations, the aviation industry remains committed to carbon neutral growth. And with the exciting new developments in biofuels, in the words of Billy Glover Managing Director, Environmental Strategy for Boeing,'the future's so bright, you've got to wear shades...'

Videos from the Opening Session of the Aviation & Environment Summit 2009 are available.

Alexander ter Kuile from CANSO called for greater cooperation and set out airspace efficiency targets.

Angela Gittens, Director General of Airports Council International, spoke about airports' environmental work.

Francois Gayet, Chair of the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and Secretary General of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association (ASD) spoke about European research funding.

The final preparations are complete, and the Aviation & Environment Summit 2009 is ready to open promptly at 9:00 in Geneva tomorrow. The attendees will discuss the industry's commitment to action on climate change from last year's summit.

Paul Steele, Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) will welcome the attendees, and the opening session will hear from:

• Giovanni Bisignani, Director General & Chief Executive Office, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• Angela Gittens, Director General, Airports Council International (ACI)
• Francois Gayet, Chair, International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and Secretary General, Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
• Alexander ter Kuile, Secretary General, Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO)

Participants will then take part in panel discussions about aviation efficiency and alternative fuels. You can follow the discussions throughout the day here on the blog and on www.twitter.com/enviroaero.

With the global Aviation & Environment Summit due to begin tomorrow, around 350 delegates from over 40 countries are making their way to Geneva. The event is taking place during a very difficult time for the aviation industry, as it finds ways to cope with reduced passenger numbers due to the global downturn. However, it is encouraging to see so many parts of the industry placing such a high priority on their environmental responsibilities - as evidenced by the turnout at the summit.

We will be busy live blogging the Summit live over the next three days - providing the most up-to-date news from Geneva, linking to videos of the presentations and special announcements. You will be able to follow the Summit on Twitter as well. And make sure you send us your thoughts and any questions you have for the speakers and panellists. If any of you wish to send in a video question on YouTube, we will see what we can do about playing it on the big screen to the executive panel on Wednesday!