ICAO and Aviation Emissions: The clock is ticking
ICAO considers the climate impact of aviation, even before the Kyoto Protocol but resolves that any environmental levies on aviation should be in the form of charges not fuel taxes. The Kyoto Protocol asks developed countries to work through ICAO to limit/reduce aviation emissions.
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ICAO endorses the development of an open emissions trading system (ETS) for aviation. After five years of ICAO inaction, European Parliament and Council first instructs the Commission to propose aviation emission reductions if ICAO does not act.
ICAO committee rules out establishing a global emissions trading scheme for aviation. General Assembly endorses the ICAO plan to provide instead “guidance consistent with the UNFCCC process” to countries for the inclusion of ICAO Assembly adopts guiding international aviation principles for aviation market-based emissions into national measures (MBM) and calls for the emissions trading development by 2013 of a so-called programs. ‘Framework’ for MBMs, essentially After 11 years of a set of rules that countries should ICAO inaction, respect when implementing EU includes such measures individually. The aviation in Assembly also endorses a decision the EU ETS to develop a CO2 standard for new commencing aircraft – a move which had been 2012. ruled out back in 2001.
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2012 January
2012 November
In January, ICAO Council establishes an Expert Group to evaluate the technical feasibility of various options for a global MBM and later also starts work on the Framework for implementing national/regional MBMs. ICAO’s Secretary General calls on the Organisation to agree a proposal for a global MBM by the end of 2012. The European Commission indicated that the EU could modify its aviation ETS if ICAO agreed on an effective global alternative.
On November 9th, ICAO recognised the technical feasibility of global MBMs and sets up a High Level Group to ”provide near-term recommendations on a series of policy issues which have arisen in the course of ICAO’s ongoing research into the feasibility of a global market-based measure (MBM) scheme”2. In November, the European Commission proposed to defer the compliance of flights from and to Europe by one year with the aim to lift any political obstacles for ICAO to agree on a global deal. If ICAO does not deliver in one year, the scheme is automatically reinstated.
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IACO Environmental Report 2010, available at: http://legacy.icao.int/icao/en/env2010/Pubs/EnvReport2010/ICAO_EnvReport10-Outlook_en.pdf http://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/new-ICAO-council-high-level-group-to-focus-on-environmental-policy-challenges.aspx