European Commission (EC) plans to bring aviation into its emissions-trading scheme will apply to intra-European Union (EU) flights only when introduced in 2011, but will be widened to cover all flights in and out of EU airports a year later.
The EC today formally published its proposals for bringing aviation into the existing EU emissions trading scheme – although draft proposals drawn up by the environment directorate have been floating around for the last month after they were widely leaked.
Today’s proposals show the scheme will, for the first year only, apply to intra-EU flights. But it will be widened to all international flights arriving and departing the EU from the start of 2012, meaning it will apply to EU and non-EU carriers operating on these routes.
To limit growth in aviation emissions, says the EC, the total number of emission allowances available will be capped at the average emissions level in 2004-06.
“Some allowances will be auctioned by member states, but the overwhelming majority will be issued for free on the basis of a harmonised efficiency benchmark reflecting each operator’s historical share of traffic,” it adds.
The EC estimates the scheme will by 2020 add between €1.80 and €9 ($2.40-$11.80) to the ticket price of a typical return flight within the EU, but acknowledges this will be higher for long-haul trips.
Very light aircraft will not be covered by the scheme, and each operator will be administered by only one member state.
Today’s proposals come after the EC in September 2005 outlined its intention to bring aviation into the EU emissions trading scheme to tackle the sector’s contribution to carbon emissions.
Airline representatives, while pointing to the sector’s currently relatively small emissions impact, have supported the use of emissions trading as the mechanism for tackling the matter.
But they have been critical of the leaked proposals, expressing concerns at the legal uncertainty surrounding application of the scheme to non-EU carriers and hitting out at the stifling effect of using a 2004-06 base figure for setting the emissions cap.
In publishing its proposals today, the EC says the growth of aviation emissions – currently accounting for about 3% of total EU ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions – threatens to undermine the EU’s progress in cutting overall levels.
“The rapid growth in aviation emissions contrasts with the success of many other sector of the economy in reducing emissions. Without action, the growth in emissions from flights from EU airports will by 2012 cancel out more than a quarter of the 8% emissions reduction the [15 pre-2004 EU members] must achieve to reach [their] Kyoto Protocol target,” the EC says.
Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas says: “Aviation too should make a fair contribution to our efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Bringing aviation emissions into the EU emissions trading scheme is a cost-effective solution that is good for the environment and treats all airlines equally.”
The European Parliament – which has adopted a tough stance in tackling aviation emissions – and the European Council of ministers will discuss the proposals before final legislation is agreed. This co-decision process typically takes between one and two years.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
