BRISBANE-During the final hours of Australian Tourism Exchange 2007, outgoing chairman of Tourism Australia, Tim Fischer, addressed criticism of Australia's supposedly too-large carbon footprint. "The attack on long-haul aviation coming out of London and other parts of the world is out of proportion," said Fischer. "Airlines are receiving an unfit amount of the blame for climate woes." Fischer went on to explain that long-haul flights account for only two percent of carbon emissions. "For example, cow flatulence contributes nine percent," he noted. "Europe should get their act together and institute the flexi-tracking system we're using in Australia." Fischer went on to explain that the flexi-tracking system allows planes "to surf the best winds on flights, saving tons of fuel and reducing flight time." Fischer, obviously feeling stung by remarks out of Europe, noted that flexi-tracking eliminates stacking of planes circling airports. "Australia leads the way in reducing stacking," he said. "In Heathrow and Hong Kong, 20-minute delays are factored in--that is man-made error."
