The venue for the conference, attended by leading climate researchers like Mojib Latif, was a fitting choice: The Frankfurt Senckenberg Museum of Natural History with its large dinosaurs and concurrent climate exhibition illustrating the rich biodiversity of life on earth and the changes the planet has undergone over millions of years.
The speakers concurred in underlining the impact the logistics industry has on the environment. The industry was equally unanimous in advocating even greater commitment to the goal of more environment-friendly aviation. Lufthansa Cargo Board Member Dr. Karl-Rudolf Rupprecht urged the attendees to step up their common efforts: 'Only when all partners in the transport chain as well as scientists and politicians pull together will we have the best chance of massively reducing the burden on the environment.'
Transparency must be vastly improved so that transport decisions can be influenced more in future by their impact on the environment, said Dr. Rupprecht. Comparability between the airlines is often difficult. Not every carrier, for example, releases data on specific emissions.
Dr. Rupprecht is expecting a substantial reduction in specific emissions at Lufthansa Cargo from the coming winter when the first two of five Boeing 777 freighters on its order books are sched2 uled to enter into service. The most efficient and quietest freighter of its class generates around 20 per cent fewer emissions than the existing MD-11 freighters in the fleet.
The Frankfurt conference was also the venue again for the presentation of this year's Climate Care Awards. Under the motto 'More ideas for less emissions', the cargo carrier confers the environmental awards on company customers and members of the staff for notable contributions to environmental protection.
