www.environmental-finance.com
11 June:
Airlines have committed to a global cap on their carbon emissions in 2020, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced on Monday, but environmentalists slammed the group's lack of ambition. The association, which represents some 230 airlines, also committed to a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency from 2009 to 2020 and a 50% absolute reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 from a 2005 baseline. The emissions would remain capped from 2020 even if demand increased, said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's director general and CEO.
Quentin Browell, assistant director of environment communications at IATA, said that the association could have to spend approximately $7 billion a year after 2020 to purchase carbon credits, based on an estimate of $65 a tonne in 2020, to achieve its carbon neutral growth. Bisignani said that the airlines' commitment needed to be matched by governments. "Our success will be contingent on governments acting effectively," he said. "The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) must set binding carbon emissions standards on manufacturers for new aircraft. A legal and fiscal framework to support the availability of sustainable biofuels must be established.
Bisignani also called for governments to work with air navigation service providers to push forward projects such as the Single European Sky, an initiative that will eliminate national borders in European airspace and improve air traffic flows. Air transport's carbon footprint is expected to shrink 7% in 2009, the IATA said, with 5% attributable to the recession and the other 2% directly related to efficiency gains.
However, Bill Hemmings, policy officer at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, said the plan was far below what is necessary considering the scale of carbon emissions: "The statement is a slight move forward for IATA in relation to its previous positions, but it is neither bold nor a commitment - merely a statement." Hemmings said that the EU was proposing to cut emissions 20% by 2020 from 1990 levels, and possibly by 30%, and added that cuts of 50% to 80% by 2050 relative to 1990 levels are widely expected to be necessary, to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
Meanwhile, the Aviation Global Deal (AGD), a coalition of leading international airlines, aviation sector companies and international NGO The Climate Group, proposed three different emissions reduction scenarios on Tuesday, including a carbon neutral growth target, a 5% reduction and a 20% reduction in emissions through to 2020, using a 2005 base-year - reflecting the range of views from industry, government and NGOs. Under all the scenarios, the airlines would actively participate in international carbon markets to meet their emission targets more cost effectively, the AGD said. Airlines in the AGD include Air France, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
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