Aviation Global Deal Group proposes framework CO2 policy

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Aviation Global Deal Group proposes framework CO2 policy

By Geoffrey Thomas
Eco-Aviation Today, April 10, 2009, p.1

The Aviation Global Deal Group, comprising British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Air France KLM, Virgin Atlantic Airways, BAA and international nongovernmental organization The Climate Group, presented a draft policy framework for addressing carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation in Bonn earlier this month.

According to Cathay Pacific GM-Environmental Affairs Dominic Purvis, the framework is an "ambitious, equitable and effective" way of tackling emissions under a global climate change deal to be agreed in Copenhagen in December.

The AGD Group's proposal marks the first time that aviation sector companies have made direct recommendations to UN climate change officials on how their sector's CO2 emissions should be accounted for and also underscores the seriousness of the situation, according to Purvis. The growing concern, he says, is that if the industry does not embrace and push the climate change agenda and involve aviation experts, "We may end up with punitive changes being set by politicians."

IATA has urged the aviation industry and governments to bring an aligned global approach on aviation carbon emissions to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference to be held in December in Copenhagen, most recently at this month's Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva organized by the Air Transport Action Group that brought together airlines, airports, government and regulatory officials and aircraft and engine manufacturers and suppliers as well as numerous aviation stakeholder groups.

"The delegates were clear in their message to the governments constituting ICAO that international aviation is ready and willing to be included as part of the next global climate deal and we need ICAO's leadership to drive the industry forward," ATAG Executive Director Paul Steele said. He added that the industry wants governments "to take a global sectoral approach for aviation rather than the current patchwork of national and regional emissions management schemes," which he said are "generally ineffective," difficult to administer and "could lead to competitive distortion."

That aligned approach is the goal of ICAO, but some governments are running out of patience that it can arrive at a consensus agreement. EC officials have cited ICAO's inability to achieve a global aviation climate deal as the reason they are bringing aviation under the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

The AGD Group proposes that:

International aviation CO2 emissions should be addressed through a global sectoral agreement rather than a patchwork of regional initiatives in order to avoid carbon leakage and maintain a level playing field.
A global target is set for the sector to ensure it plays its part in global CO2 emissions reductions.
This is achieved through a "cap-and-trade" emissions trading mechanism where the sector has open access to global carbon markets.
An airline's CO2 emissions are based on the carbon content of its annual fuel purchases and the use of sustainable, lower lifecycle carbon alternatives is incentivized;
An international body administers the system;
Any revenue generated from auction of a proportion of CO2 allowances is used for climate change, adaptation and mitigation activities in developing countries and also research into greener aviation technology.

Mark Kenber, policy director of The Climate Group, said in a statement that AGD's proposals are a "significant step forward for leading aviation players to come to the negotiating table with constructive ideas about how to transition to a low carbon economy."

Purvis told Eco-Aviation Today that the AGD Group has consulted various government, industry and NGO stakeholders on its proposals and has received widespread support for its approach. "We want to stimulate debate," he said, "and rather than wait for the process to run its course we need to get involved in the process because it is the right thing to do. Rather than be a whipping boy, we want to be role model." He said ICAO's problem is that its "huge member base has radically different views and trying to corral those views is extremely difficult." The AGD Group is working closely with IATA and expects a final draft to be ready by June.

ICAO's 15-country Group on International Aviation and Climate Change has been tasked with producing proposals and targets in preparation for Copenhagen. The fourth and final GIACC meeting will be held May 25-27 with a report planned to be presented to the 187th ICAO Council Session on June 29. Ahead of Copenhagen, ICAO has agreed to hold a "High-Level Meeting on International Aviation and Climate Change" Oct. 7-9 in Montreal.

At the ATAG environmental summit, British Airways CEO Willie Walsh warned delegates, "If we don't see progress, there is a real risk to our future. We will suffer at the hands of politicians who will see us as fair game for opportunistic taxation that will not benefit the environment. We must all work together to get a deal at Copenhagen."

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