- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
- Five of the best: Pakistan-England Test thrillers
- Man sets arm on fire as marches across US mark Gaza war anniversary
- Vietnam's young coffee entrepreneurs brew up a revolution
- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says 'very violent' Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Guardians maul Tigers, miracle Mets rally in MLB series openers
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Madrid beat Villarreal but Carvajal suffers knee injury
- Madrid beat Villarreal to move level with Liga leaders Barcelona
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- French rugby player on rape charge whistled but 'serene' on return
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Toddler among 3 dead in migrant Channel crossings
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Kovacic stars as Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Thousands march for Palestinians ahead of Oct 7 anniversary
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
NGO denounces rising air freight pollution
An environmental pressure group denounced Wednesday the rising emissions of the air freight industry, which has been boosted by global supply chain difficulties and rising online commerce.
According to Stand Earth, a US-Canadian group, pollution from the air freight sector has increased by 25 percent since 2019.
A report by the group fournd that market distortions caused by Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions and supply chain disruptions boosted the air freight cargo sector.
"Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, air freight was dominated, logically, by perishable goods, time-sensitive deliveries, and luxury items," said the report.
The pandemic forced industries to shift to air freight to transport a greater variety of goods.
"What many assumed was a pandemic anomaly, however, is actually not only continuing, but in some cases growing," it said.
"While FedEx, UPS, and Amazon celebrate a new norm in the shipping industry, their success comes at a dire cost," the report said.
It said these "Big Three" players in the sector were responsible for 27 percent of global air freight greenhouse gas emissions -- the equivalent of 4.45 million homes in the United States.
Stand Earth reproached Amazon for its rapid delivery business strategy -- with same-day or overnight deliver with its Prime membership -- for driving growth in air freight emissions.
Online commerce has exploded in recent years, rising from $2.1 trillion in 2019 to $3.6 trillion in 2023, according to US Commerce Department figures.
While the group targets the specialised air freight firms in its report, they make up only half the market, with commercial airlines carrying the rest on passenger flights.
According to airline trade association IATA, 62 million tonnes is expected to be shipped by air freight this year, a 7.6 percent increase from 2019.
Only one percent of global trade volume travels by air, but in terms of value air freight accounts for 35 percent.
A.Jones--AMWN