Global air travel has become one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and public health by driving the spread of alien species and infectious diseases to new habitats, scientists report today. Bon voyage!

Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and New York City were selected to participate in a new $848.1 million dollar federal initiative to fight traffic congestion.

“The program aims to cut traffic congestion using approaches like congestion pricing, transit, tolling, and teleworking.”

IATA, the global airline body representing 240 airlines announced its plan to convert to electronic tickets by June 1, 2008. This change will not only cut airlines’ costs ($9 per traveler) but also save 50,000 mature trees a year.

King County Executive Ron Sims is not endorsing measures to extend the Seattle light-rail line. Instead, he is backing projects that help reduce greenhouse gases. “His Transit Now package, a sales-tax boost to add bus service, won voter approval last fall. The new buses will be clean hybrids, he says.”

In 1995 Seattle’s traffic ranked 7th-worst in the United States, with drivers spending an average of 52 hours in traffic due to congestion. In 2005, Seattle drivers are spending an average of 45 hours, and rank 19th-worst.

The UK government “plans to switch green taxes on aviation from passengers to planes in a move that will raise up to £2.5bn annually by 2010.” This aims to encourage more efficient use of planes.

Environment ministers in the European Union have agreed to include airlines in their emissions trading scheme starting from 2012.

“Cruise ships emit three times more CO2 than airplanes, reports the Telegraph. In its annual report, Carnival, which comprises 11 cruise lines, said it emits 401 grams of CO2 per passenger.”

Air Passenger Duty (APD) is expected to be replaced by a levy charge determined by aircraft weight and distance traveled by 2009, according to the UK’s aviation tax proposal.