COPENHAGEN: The world aviation industry yesterday announced a long-term goal to cut carbon dioxide emissions to half the 2005 levels by 2050, becoming the first industry to articulate a reduction goal at the Copenhagen climate change conference.

The agreement, reached between 230 airlines in the International Air Transport Association (IATA), aircraft manufacturers, air traffic control providers and airports, sets a series of targets for the industry:

* Improve fuel efficiency on average by 1.5 percent per year until 2020;