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Climate Change
Aviation Emissions Deal Could Be Model for Shipping: EU Official
Snapshot
• Top EU transport official welcomes agreement on carbon-neutral growth for international aviation
• Deal considered a possible model for international shipping
• Aviation in EU emissions trading scheme to be reviewed
Oct. 7 —
An international agreement on carbon-neutral growth for the aviation industry could prove a template for curbing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, the European Union's top transportation official said Oct. 7.
European Commission Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said that an Oct. 6 agreement at the International Civil Aviation Organization that the airline industry would buy offsets to compensate for emissions growth after 2020 was “good news”
and meant “sustainability in the aviation sector is now moving up a gear.”
Asked by Bloomberg BNA if the model of carbon neutral growth and use of offsets could apply in the shipping sector, Bulc said, “I really, really hope sincerely that this will be an inspiration.”
The International Maritime Organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee will discuss greenhouse gas emissions from shipping at a meeting in London Oct. 24–28. Bulc said the 
ICAO
agreement will be “an incredible encouragement for the IMO meeting,” and will “encourage colleagues in maritime to contribute their share” in terms of combating global warming.
ICAO agreement will be “an incredible encouragement for the IMO meeting,” and will “encourage colleagues in maritime to contribute their share” in terms of combating global warming.Currently, there are no greenhouse gas emissions curbs on shipping. The European Union adopted a regulation ((EU) 2015/757) that requires ships that dock at EU ports to monitor carbon dioxide emissions, but it does not impose reduction obligations.
Aviation in the ETS
Bulc also said she will discuss with the European Parliament the ramifications of the ICAO agreement for including aviation in the EU's emissions trading system.
ICAO agreement for including aviation in the EU's emissions trading system.Under a 2008 EU directive
(2008/101/EC), all flights into, out of and within the bloc were to be included in the emissions trading system as of 2012, meaning airlines would have to keep their emissions below a certain cap or buy extra permits on the EU carbon market. Intercontinental flights were subsequently exempted, however, pending agreement of measures at ICAO level.
ICAO level.According to the exemption, intercontinental flights would be automatically re-included in the ETS in 2017 if the ICAO agreement is judged insufficient.
ICAO agreement is judged insufficient.Under the ICAO agreement, known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), airlines will be measured against their emissions in 2019–2020 and for subsequent years will purchase offsets if their emissions rise.
ICAO agreement, known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), airlines will be measured against their emissions in 2019–2020 and for subsequent years will purchase offsets if their emissions rise.The scheme will be in a pilot and voluntary phase through 2026 and only routes between countries that voluntarily participate will be covered by the offsetting requirement. In the initial phase, 65 countries will participate, including the 28 EU countries, Australia, Canada, China, Turkey and the U.S.
From 2027, CORSIA will be mandatory. According to ICAO, the voluntary phase will cover 86.5 percent of international aviation activity.
ICAO, the voluntary phase will cover 86.5 percent of international aviation activity.European Parliament Dissatisfaction
To prevent the automatic re-inclusion of intercontinental flights in the ETS, the European Commission must make a proposal either on a continuation of the current exemption or a permanent exemption. That proposal would require the agreement of the European Parliament and EU countries represented in the Council of the European Union.
European Parliament lawmakers signaled that they thought ICAO's agreement was weak.
Peter Liese, a German center-right lawmaker who was prominent in the original inclusion of aviation in the ETS, said Oct. 7 that the ICAO deal was “unambitious” and “unfortunately, doesn't foresee any emission reduction.”
ICAO deal was “unambitious” and “unfortunately, doesn't foresee any emission reduction.”Past carbon offsetting schemes did not work because it “turned out to be difficult to verify the real amount of achieved emissions reductions and to assess the quality of the projects,” Liese said.
Bas Eickhout, a Dutch Green lawmaker who was part of a European Parliament delegation to ICAO, said CORSIA was “merely a floor from which we will need to make further progress,” and “all international flights from and to the EU should fall under our emissions trading system from 2017 onwards as planned.”
ICAO, said CORSIA was “merely a floor from which we will need to make further progress,” and “all international flights from and to the EU should fall under our emissions trading system from 2017 onwards as planned.”Bulc said she expected a “very constructive dialogue” with the European Parliament and would “defend the deal” agreed at ICAO and “stress all the benefits.”
ICAO and “stress all the benefits.”A European Commission fact sheet on the International Civil Aviation Organization agreement is available at http://src.bna.com/jfb.
To contact the reporter on this story: Stephen Gardner in Brussels at correspondents@bna.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Greg Henderson at ghenderson@bna.com
 
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