The Glasgow Declaration needs a New Flight Plan - Remarks of Professor Geoffrey Lipman

I attended the UNTO “Glasgow Declaration Update” at FITUR - despite my old colleagues refusal to let me speak with the other 20+ Glasgow Declaration signatories. (SUNx was a launch signatory) and I had simply wanted to cover the seminal TPCC Stocktake, undertaken through our GGTI parent, to add an objective science led perspective to the exchange.
 
At the risk of simply seeming ungracious for the snub, and fully recognizing the progress made by many panellists (who are doing really great things), it’s a fact that after 2 years there are under 1000 signatures (including individuals) of the estimated 200 million companies (source statista) plus the many more international and national authorities. 
 
This was described to me as a progressive way to build support – but how can a code red eXistential climate crisis be dealt with ‘progressively’
 
THIS WILL NOT GET US TO A SAFE WORLD BY 2050 
 
And not a single airline present, - nor any of the big airline or airport or aircraft manufacturers organizations - even though flying is at the heart of almost all international tourism. And aviation represents the bulk of all tourism ghg pollution . And they project themselves significantly higher ghg in 2050. But of course they use the magic offset button to claim they will meet the Glasgow aspirations.
 
And no this is not simply a wild rant,  I do not want my grandkids to suffer or even die because we are delusional about our promises for their future. What happened to “leaving the world a better place for our children sustainable development mantra. 
 
Why not show the leadership we always claim for our sector and go for Real Zero ghg 2050 and stop the net nonesense. Often shown alongside the ‘you can pay extra to sit next to the person you are travelling with button And just stop ripping off passengers with another seedy marketing “climate safe” button on ticket prices. 
 
Surely, it’s not difficult to make a simple decent pledge for the future
-  Create a moonshot for “Climate Friendly” aviation (zero ghg 2050)
 - Guarantee “essential air services” to poor countries for climate justice 
And give our grandkids some real hope.