Airbus supports 'The Green Wave'

Airbus, the leading aircraft manufacturer is mobilising its global network of more than 52,000 employees to celebrate The Green Wave, an ambitious programme established by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to encourage young people to engage with biodiversity.

As part of this worldwide initiative, the Airbus Corporate Foundation is set to launch a biodiversity volunteer programme that directly involves its employees with nature, endorsed by The Ministry of Environment, India. In association with Raleigh International, Airbus will announce the first employees selected from around the world to participate in a three-year biodiversity project in India.

Airbus teams will also be involved in a myriad of events with their local communities. From tree planting in Spain, Japan and Vietnam; to creating new gardens at the Airbus Innovation School in China; and encouraging wildlife to inhabit Airbus site areas in France.

Airbus President and CEO, Tom Enders, said: "We already put a huge effort into tackling the 2% that aviation contributes to man made CO2 emissions. Our partnership with the CBD reflects our commitment to support those tackling the other 98%, such as the 17% from deforestation. Aeronautic engineers have been inspired by nature since the days of Leonardo da Vinci. Today, biomimicry continues to inspire solutions for greener flight. So we need to get better at learning from nature ' it might just hold the key to our future as well as its own. That's why we are using our global outreach to help the CBD raise awareness. I'm extremely proud that Airbus employees are playing their part in preserving it."

To participate in The Green Wave on 21 or 22 May visit www.greenwave.cbd.int or www.cbd.int/2010/countries and find out what is happening near you.