International aviation industry must limit emissions too

The European Parliament has approved new rules to reduce CO2 emissions in aviation as well. European Parliament member Mark Demesmaeker responds with satisfaction: “To achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement, all sectors must make an effort. That certainly includes the aviation sector, responsible for 2.1% of global CO2 emissions and 3% of European CO2 emissions. The sector’s considerable expectations in terms of growth are making it more urgent than ever to reduce emissions.”

In October 2016, an agreement was reached at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on an international approach to reducing CO2. The intent is that CORSIA, the system designed to achieve those reduced emissions, will become fully operational as from 2021.

No blank cheque

The negotiations on the precise operation of that agreement are still under way. In order to give it every chance of success, international flights continue to be temporarily exempted from Europe’s Emissions Trading System (ETS). “The European Parliament is cooperating constructively on reaching a high-performance international solution. But our patience is not endless: there can be no talk of a blank cheque,” Mark Demesmaeker warns. “It must be clear that the exemption for international flights stops at the end of 2020. In this way we keep a big stick in reserve. This is in no way unreasonable - Europe has been demanding since as long ago as 2008 that the aviation sector take action. The ICAO partners have had plenty of time.”

Frosty reception

“This exemption, which is detrimental to the climate and also undermines a level playing field, met with a frosty reception from the N-VA. When it continues to be more attractive to serve the European market from just outside the EU’s borders, it is a competitive disadvantage for our own European aviation industry. The extension of the exemption is only justified with a strict end date,” Mark Demesmaeker concludes.