Aviation and CO2 emissions Although the figures seem to vary, the general consensus is that aviation currently contributes about 4% of global CO2 emissions (worldwide). In the US all of aviation accounts for only 2 percent of all CO2 emissions caused by burning fossil fuels…

“Aviation has established an outstanding track record in reducing its environmental impact as it grows to meet rising demand for transportation around the world,” says CESSNA CEO Jack Pelton. He says we must pursue policies and practices that balance progress and technology with environmental sensitivity but warns that further reducing aviation’s impact on climate change requires partnership between industry and government and a commitment to find realistic solutions everyone can live with”.

In any case the turboprop engine is the proven airline benchmark for low fuel consumption on short haul regional routes ...

All planes traveling from Guatemala City, Belize City and Cancun to Flores’ Mundo Maya International Airport (MGTK), belonging to the three airlines covering these routes, are single engine turboprops or twin turboprops, manufactured by companies seriously involved with reducing maintenance costs and lowering CO2 emissions per passenger.

Offering the lowest fuel consumption and carbon emissions, turboprop engines produce up to 50 percent lower CO2 emissions than similar sized jets using turbines. Larger jet planes produce larger amounts of CO2 emissions. This does not mean you cannot travel anymore, it only means you may want to do it a little more consciously by offsetting your carbon footprint…

All flights arriving to the Mundo Maya International Airport from Belize, Guatemala City and Cancun are manufactured by Embraer from Brazil, Saab from Sweden and ATR from France and Italy, featuring the lowest fuel consumption per passenger and CO2 emissions in regional aviation. Even while traffic shows growth these manufacturer's idea has been to meet the 1997 Kyoto Protocol target for CO2 emissions and continue to make every effort possible to keep the Earth’s temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, as per COP 15’s (Copenhagen’s Summit on Climate Change) objectives. As a tour operator, using these planes for our passenger's trips and other modes of transportation, we at Ecotourism & Adventure Specialists and www.tikalpark.com we are determined to take a stand and also do our share...

Although an insignificantly small fraction of aircraft attributable emissions in the world are generated on the air routes to Tikal we are determined to take responsibility, regulate ourselves where regulations are still lacking and participate in being part of the solution to the problems of Global Climate Change by offsetting our carbon footprint without compromising the quality of the services we will gladly provide you with during your stay or your experience of visiting the fabulous Maya city of Tikal. We understand that pollution concentrations clearly depend on engine or turbine technical data and burning fuel temperature and that is why we use only helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter, a cutting edge company involved in the leading CLEANSKY program, innovating the technology made to soar the skies while keeping track of carbon and other pollutants generated by the equipment we use for our helicopter tours. You don’t have to miss the amazing opportunity to fly over the incredibly beautiful Maya jungle because you can do it and help bring a human face to conservation by backing our women’s development projects in the community of Carmelita, south of the Mirador Rio Azul National Park…

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