LFV Annual Report 2019 1
L F V 2019 DIRE C T OR S ’ REPOR T EFFECTIVE AIRS
PACE AND WORKING METHODS ARE THE KEY TO REDUCED EMISSIONS LFV's mandate includes work for sustainable aviation with a focus on the impact on the environment and climate. Aviation is very important for Sweden's economy and competitive strength. At the same time, demands on a reduced environmental impact are rising, and the entire aviation industry is now working on sustainability issues. LFV contributes to a decreased environmental impact primarily by effectively controlling air traffic and aiding airports in their environmental testing and the work to decrease environmental stress on and around airports. The impact on the environment and climate are an area of focus in the government's national aviation strategy. LFV has the government's mandate to work for sustainable aviation. It means that works in its daily operations and in collaboration with partners to develop the airspace, procedures and system support in order to decrease the impact on the environment and the climate. International aviation continues to grow and, according to Eurocontrol, carbon dioxide emissions will increase by at least 21 per cent during the period of 2019–2040. Eurocontrol identifies the four central areas for reducing emissions from aviation: • technological development • alternative sustainable fields • more effective airspace and air traffic service • market-based measures. Intense work is already in progress within all of those areas. LFV's main focus is the development of effective airspace and working methods for effective air traffic service. This influences how much fuels is used and thus the air traffic's emissions. In order to ensure that LFV has competence to work effectively with sustainability issues, LFV maintains knowledge within the organisation by means of mandatory environmental training that all new employees and consultants must undergo. In addition to the mandatory basic training, operative chiefs received additional training within the environmental area. All air traffic controllers are also trained in how to control air traffic in the most environmentally-compatible manner. OVERALL GOALS On the basis of environmental and climate aspects, a number of overall goals have been developed that guide LFV's orientation: LFV will: • contribute to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from aviation in Swedish airspace. LFV's goal since 40 2014 has been to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Swedish airspace by an average of 1000 tonnes per year until 2023. • actively work to reduce internal carbon dioxide emissions • actively work to reduce internal energy consumption. INDIRECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT LFV contributes to a decreased environmental impact primarily by effectively controlling air traffic and aiding airports in their environmental testing and the work to decrease environmental stress on and around airports. The environmental key figures for European airspace show that Sweden performs well in comparison with other countries in Europe. This can be explained, in part, by the flexible airspace in Sweden for civil and military air traffic and the establishment of FRA (free route airspace, straight flight routes), but is also due to the fact that the Swedish airspace is not as congested in other areas, primarily central Europe. GOAL DEVELOPMENT FOR REDUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM AVIATION YEAR Tonnes of CO2 2015 406 2016 1,638 2017 160 2018 2019 665 0 No permanent changes that contribute to achievement of the environmental goal were introduced in 2019. However, LFV has also contributed to environmental development during 2019, but potential environmental gains may be further off in the future. ASSESSMENTS AND ANALYSES Airspace and flight routes are designed to be efficient and optimal from a sustainability perspective. In 2019, LFV has had a major focus on a detailed study of Swedish airspace. The government mandate included providing proposals for strategies for a long-term modernisation of the airspace. LFV's assessment is that there are environmental gains to be realised. These gains are primarily available in the lower airspace (below 2,900 meters) but also for the upper airspace in connection with take-off and landing, primarily in the Stockholm area. Part of the proposed airspace strategy, therefore, emphasises those parts of the airspace. LFV has developed a new analysis tool that processes