Frederico Curado, Embraer president and CEO, called on the aviation industry to work collectively against environmental charges during a luncheon speech to The Wings Club on Tuesday at the EBACE 2012 show in Geneva, Switzerland.

He said the industry is making more efficient aircraft and “should send the message clearly that we’re not the bad guys here” when it comes to the environment. “We’re just collectively about two or two-and-a-half percent of emissions.

That message is not clear yet to the general public,” Curado said. “Anything related to environmental trading schemes or surtaxes or anything like that we should really fight against because we are an integral part of the world’s economic development.”