Airline emissions: EP takes first step towards bringing climate-damaging emissions from airlines in check
The European Parliament today adopted a legislative proposal to include airlines in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme. Commenting on the outcome of the vote (first reading), UK Green and EP draftswoman on aviation and climate change Caroline Lucas said:
"This vote represents a first step in the right direction, particularly by ensuring that airlines cannot simply buy their way out of having to make emissions reductions. However, it falls short of what is needed to achieve the necessary reductions in climate-damaging emissions from airlines and for demonstrating real global leadership on climate change.
"The Parliament has succeeded in strengthening what was a weak and timid proposal from the Commission and this should be acknowledged. MEPs voted to give the aviation sector an initial emissions allocation of 90% of 2004-6 levels; while this is much less ambitious than what the EP Environment Committee proposed, it will ensure airlines have to make reductions in their damaging emissions from day one. In addition, by adopting the so-called 'gateway' approach, MEPs have introduced limits on the amount aviation can trade with other sectors and on the permits it can buy through the Kyoto CDM/JI, so it cannot simply buy its way out of trouble.
"Emissions trading can only be an effective tool in constraining aviation emissions if there is a rigorous cap on overall emissions, limits to the amount the aviation sector can trade with other sectors, and full auctioning of emission permits, to prevent the airline companies receiving windfall profits. With this in mind, it is a source of regret that MEPs voted for a significantly more generous cap (of 90%) than that proposed by the Environment Committee and also watered down its proposal for auctioning emissions permits. Based on today's vote, only 25% of permits will be auctioned, as opposed to the 50% proposed by the Environment Committee.
"Thankfully, MEPs supported the proposed 'multiplier', which is designed to take account of the damaging NOx emissions from aircraft and to extend this to vapour trails once sufficient scientific evidence exists. Given the non-CO2 climate impact of airlines can be 2-4 times greater, it is crucial that this is also addressed."
