The International Air Transport Association (IATA), along with other airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers has set new targets for reducing emissions and increasing fuel efficiency in the aviation sector.

The association has presented the governments with set goal of improving fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% a year through 2020.

It also intends to stabilise emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth and cut emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050.

The industry association has urged the governments to make the target a part of their solution and the government has come up with its own set of goals.

The government plans to improve fuel efficiency by 2% to 2050, to look for more ambitious goals in time for the next assembly in 2010, to find a framework for economic measures and to encourage the development of sustainable biofuels.

IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said the industry is on the high ground and governments must catch up.

Other organisations that are a part of the IATA team setting the target are ACI, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries.