CAN Europe made a submission on the European Commission’s Consultation on market-based measures to reduce the climate change impact from international aviation.
The aviation sector is responsible for 3-5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are expected to triple by 2050 unless action is taken. Therefore:
- The proposed 2020 carbon neutrality goal under ICAO must be increasedin line with the long-term goals agreed in Paris;
- ICAO policies must not in any way limit more ambitious policies by states and regions;
- Reductions should be achieved in the sector itself: Emissions from flights that start or end in the EU must not be compensated with carbon offsets from other sectors;
- Aviation must raise revenue to contribute to climate finance;
- The CO2 emissions from aviation must be subject to a multiplier of at least two as the total climate impact of aviation is 2-5 times higher than its CO2 emissions alone;
- Since no global cap on aviation emissions is currently in place, the ETS must start operating again in its full scope in 2017.
The ETS must start operating again in its full scope in 2017. From 2021 the ETS must cover all inner-EU flights and 50% of all international flights:
- Aviation must be subject to the same 2030 target as all other ETS sectors;
- Emissions from flights that start or end in the EU must not be offset with carbon credits from other sectors;
- No free ETS allowances to the aviation sector from 2017 onwards. Auctioning revenues must be earmarked for the Green Climate Fund;
- The ETS target must be brought in line with the Paris Agreement. Therefore the 2030 ETS target must be raised significantly.
