Travel Health & Environment Watch.

Mar 10, 2008

Scientists expect to expand their use of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor severe weather conditions. Some UAVs can remain in the eye of a storm for several hours at altitudes as low as 80 meters, scientists say. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plans to spend $3 million on unmanned systems this year, a tiny fraction of the Pentagon's UAV budget of $15 billion. Mar 3, 2008

A bill going through U.K. parliament and expected to become law within three months commits the government to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main climate change culprit, by at least 60 percent from 1990 by 2050 and by 26-32 percent by 2020. UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has promised to look at raising the end target to 80 percent. Mar 3, 2008

American Airlines

American Airlines likely would have gotten credit in the old, pre-global-warming days for operating a nearly empty Boeing 777 across the Atlantic to avoid further disrupting the travel plans of a handful of customers. But in today's hyper-climate of environmental concern, the airline is taking some heat for the decision. The Feb. 9 flight from Chicago O'Hare to London Heathrow, revealed in London newspapers yesterday, occurred when the originally scheduled flight was delayed 11 hr. owing to a mechanical failure and most passengers were moved to other flights. The five remaining passengers were upgraded to business class and reportedly were outnumbered by flight attendants two-to-one. American said it made the flight because a full load of travelers was waiting at London's Heathrow airport to return to the U.S. Environmental groups have criticized the company for not canceling the flight. Mar 6, 2008

London Heathrow Airport

About two million people live under London Heathrow's flight path if expansion goes ahead and hundreds of homes due to be bulldozed, many local residents want expansion stopped. Scientists say global average temperatures will rise by between 1.8 and 4.0 degrees Celsius this century due to carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels for transport and power, with emissions at altitude twice as harmful as at ground level. The government argues that aviation expansion is vital for the economy, an argument Lockley said did not hold water if a true climate cost was factored into the equation. Campaigners say only about one quarter of flights are for business reasons. Mar 3, 2008

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

SAS announced March 4 the launch of an aggressive environmental strategy aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% from 2007 levels by 2020. The airline group said it will reach the target, which assumes passenger growth of 4% annually, by implementing energy enhancements and mixing jet fuel with renewable sources. Mar 5, 2008

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