TOKYO —

Japan Airlines (JAL) has decorated a 777-200 aircraft with a green design to help in raising people’s awareness of the issue of climate change and global warming, and clearly re-state the company’s unwavering commitment to reducing the impact its business activities have on the global environment.

Called the JAL Eco Jet, the aircraft will carry on its fuselage a 2-meter high by 7-meter wide green origami paper plane motif accompanied by the words Sky Eco in both Japanese and English. The conventional JAL livery of the aircraft will be modified by changing the color of the arc of the sun design on its tailfin from red to green. JAL plans to operate the aircraft from June 2008 on Japan routes serving Haneda airport, Tokyo, its main domestic hub.

IATA has estimated that the airline industry generates 3% of the total man-made contribution to climate change, with the possibility of this increasing to 5% by 2050. In terms of CO2 - one of the key culprits behind global warming - aviation is responsible for approximately 2% of global emissions.

JAL said it aims to reduce its environmental footprint by cutting fuel consumption and, consequently CO2 emissions per available ton kilometers (ATK) of its fleet by 20% in the 20 years to 2010. It has already achieved a 15% reduction since 1990. 

JCN

4 Comments

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  some14some at 07:22 AM JST - 23rd April

  JAL, pls reduce your deficit first.

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  wanderlust at 08:59 AM JST - 23rd April

  An extra 15-20 kg of paint on the body...wonder how much that will contribute to extra C02 emissions?

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  Vagante at 03:45 PM JST - 23rd April

  This "news" looks like a JAL PR press release. Do JT journalists not question corporate motives in Japan? The "Eco" jet ... excuse me while I exercise my cynical side.

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  kenchan at 09:04 PM JST - 23rd April

  instead of going for the easy typcial marketing spin job of the decols...airlines should focus more on the level of packaging/materials used on inflight meals, which are traditionally covered to the hilt. That would be an actual reduction in material usage now that the companies could affect instead of relying on engine efficiencies and better plane designs, which take years to design, build and roll out.

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