Page 31 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2016 publication
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Summer 2016 European Energy Innovation 31
AVIATION
economies. By 2050, the industry has The standard approach for dealing compliance and verification of
committed to reduce its net carbon with greenhouse gas emissions from emissions. Existing regional schemes
footprint to 50 per cent below what it most parts of the global economy capture fewer emissions than the
was in 2005 (source: ATAG). is enshrined in the United Nations expected global solution and a
Framework Convention on Climate patchwork of parallel, competing
Aircraft operators have developed Change (UNFCCC), of which the Kyoto and conflicting regional/national
many operating procedures that Protocol is a subsidiary mechanism. schemes and GMBMs would inevitably
minimise fuel usage, for example, The Kyoto Protocol provides limits result in competitive distortions and
single engine taxiing, reduced thrust on emissions to be placed on the unnecessary administrative complexity
take-offs or continued descent developed world, while the developing for operators.
approaches where minimum power world is not subject to such restrictions.
is used in the approach profile. The In the past months the aviation industry In light of the above, ERA expects that
reform of air traffic management, which has worked closely with governments the adoption and implementation
enables fewer delays, less holding and to provide its expertise and input to of the ICAO global solution (GMBM)
non-direct routings caused by Europe’s the members of the International Civil will replace the EU Emissions Trading
currently inefficient air traffic control, Aviation Organisation (ICAO) with System (EU ETS) legislation currently
can also help to cut down fuel usage regards to an agreement to develop a applicable to all flights within the
and the industry’s overall fuel burn by single, global market-based measure European Economic Area (EU
as much as 10 per cent. More efficient (GMBM) for the aviation sector. The members, Iceland, Liechtenstein and
use of fuel is also being achieved measure will be agreed at the next Norway). We are confident that the EU
through new engine technology, ICAO Assembly in autumn 2016 and be ETS legislation can be amended to
lower weight aircraft and more ready for implementation from 2020. provide for an appropriate
aerodynamically efficient aircraft. The work to design such a scheme is transition mechanism to ensure that
now taking place through the ICAO operators currently subject to the EU
With regards to alternative fuels to process. ETS are not subject to a double scheme
jet fuel (kerosene), operators, fuel with separate, overlapping measures
companies and regulators are working In Europe the main tool for aviation and duplicated administrative
to develop biofuels as a complementary is the EU Emissions Trading System obligations.
fuel source to existing carbon-based (EU ETS) – aviation was included in
fuel. It is expected that carbon reduction the EU ETS from 2012. The original Beside the considerable progress
from moving to alternative fuels could aim was to capture all flights that achieved in recent years in
be up to 80 per cent compared with arrived or departed from an EU airport. reducing the noise generated by
traditional jet fuel, but the challenge However, following huge international aircraft, governments, industry and
now is to industrialise the production opposition, the EU amended the environmental groups have recently
of biofuel and ensure that the scheme and excluded international finalised the design of the first global
infrastructure is available to supply the flights (outside the EU) for one year in certification ICAO standard for CO2
fuel to the point of use at airports. 2012. The ‘freeze’ has been extended emissions from new aircraft. This means
until at least 2016 but, in practice, this that any new aircraft in the world will
Despite progress by the industry on means that only flights within the EU be subject to a rigorous environmental
reducing its emissions through these are included in the scheme. certification process before entering
three strategies, they will not be service.
sufficient to meet the goal of carbon- For ERA, as an organisation
neutral growth from 2020. Therefore, representing primarily intra- The aviation industry is committed
at least for a period of time, there will EU operators, the decision was to addressing its impact on the
be a need to turn to a market-based disappointing for its membership. environment and has made impressive
measure to meet that cap on aviation’s At best, the scheme will capture progress on a number of counts. It will
CO2 emissions. The industry has argued between 25-28 per cent of aviation continue to work with governments,
since 2008 that any market-based CO2 emissions in Europe which aircraft and engine manufacturers,
measure for air transport must be is environmentally ineffective airports and air navigation service
global in scope, to reflect what is a truly while adding complexity and cost providers towards enabling ever
global industry. to European airlines to achieve greener skies. l
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