![\"Graph,](\"http:\/\/climate.nasa.gov\/system\/content_pages\/main_images\/203_co2-graph-021116.jpeg\")
\nGraph, showing atmospheric samples contained in ice cores throughout the years.<\/p>\n
With rising sea levels, shrinking ice sheets and an increasing number of heavy rainfall events, the climate change seems to be an inevitable result of our lifestyles. We produce, we consume, we travel \u2013 and all of that has an impact on the earth and our climate. Especially the transportation industry which produces 26% of the global CO2 emissions is one of the problems for our environment. (Chapmann, Lee: Transport and climate change: a review. In: Journal of Transport Geography 15 (2007). P.354-367, here p.355.)
\nAviation is, next to the road transportation, one of the biggest contributors to this fundamental change and therefore is incredibly interesting to analyze because of its role in the climate change. (Chapmann: Transport and climate change, p.356.)<\/p>\n
So the question arises how a company, that actually lives from ‘polluting’ our environment, is able to deal with these upcoming challenges. Boeing, a corporation that designs and manufactures products in the aviation sector, is trying to reduce its contributions to the climate change in multiple ways. (The Atlantic: A century in the sky. <http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/sponsored\/boeing-2015\/acenturyin-the-sky\/652\/> (30.10.2016))<\/p>\n
\nGraph, showing atmospheric samples contained in ice cores throughout the years.<\/p>\n
In order to understand the steps Boeing is taking it is necessary to understand the pollution through aviation. Aviation is one of the fastest growing industries because of economic globalization, growth of global production and simple traveling. (Chapmann: Transport and climate change, p.360.) Air freight, for example, a big sector in this industry has tripled its total volume from 5.1 to 17.9 million metric tones between 1986-2000. (Neiberger, Cordula: Air Freight: Trends and Issues.<\/span> In: G\u00f6ssling, Stefan; Upham, Paul: Climate Change and Aviation: Issues, Challenges and Solutions. 2009. P.221-244, here p.221.) The problem hereby is that the chemicals are released into the sensitive upper atmosphere during the flight (Noland, Robert B.; Toumi, Ralf; Williams, Victoria: Reducing the climate change impacts of aviation by restricting cruise altitudes. In: Transportation Research Part D 7 (2002). P.451-464, here p.452.) \u2013 which is not only CO2 but also NOx, sulphate and soot particles that can be even more dangerous. (Lee, David S.: Aviation and Climate Change: The Science. In: G\u00f6ssling, Stefan; Upham, Paul: Climate Change and Aviation: Issues, Challenges and Solutions. 2009. P.27-68, here p.33., as well as\u00a0Fahey, David W.; Forster, Piers M.; Lim, L. Ling; Newton, Peter J.; Owen, Bethan; Sausen, Robert; Wit, Ron C.N.: Aviation and global climate change in the 21st century. In: Atmospheric Environment 43 (2009). P.3520\u20133537, here p.3521.)<\/p>\n Being aware of the problem the aviation industry has already started refining air craft operation specifications to include fuel savings attributes (e.g. continuous descent, weight reduction, flight planning accuracy) (Fahey, David W.; Forster, Piers M.; Lim, L. Ling; Newton, Peter J.; Owen, Bethan; Sausen, Robert; Wit, Ron C.N.: Aviation and global climate change in the 21st century. In: Atmospheric Environment 43 (2009). P.3520\u20133537, here p.3531.) and let air freight be transported in passenger airplanes (belly cargo). (Chapmann: Transport and climate change, p.361.) Establishing for example taxes on kerosene failed because of missing international consensus. (Chapmann: Transport and climate change, p.361.)<\/p>\n This is where Boeing comes to action. The corporation is addressing several components of pollution factors with key technology programs such as lightweight materials, aircraft emission, solar and fuel cells. Since 2002 CO2 emissions and energy consumption could be reduced by 31% on a revenue-adjusted basis. It also managed to cut back the fuel consumption of four carriers by 1.1 million pounds. Boeing also piloted in using biofuels in aircrafts and adapted clean technology already used by the ISS and satellites in order to find an efficient way to turn sunlight into electricity. By introducing blended winglets, a new technology, as well as providing retrofit performance improvement packages, CO2 emissions and the total fuel use could be reduced dramatically. (PricewaterhouseCoopers: Aerospace and Defense. Sector climate change responses. 2010 <https:\/\/www.pwc.co.uk\/assets\/pdf\/climate-change-in-aerospace-defence.pdf> (30.10.2016), here p.7.)<\/p>\n