Page 20 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE EMISSIONS

Big Budget Airlines
It is estimated that around 4,000 airlines
and other aircraft operators face the
prospect of paying the EU for their carbon
emissions. While the emissions trading
market is volatile, AAPA estimates at $25
per metric ton, says Herdman. If so, the
ETS could cost Asian carriers alone some
US$200 million a year. “As traffic grows in
Asia, this could go up to $400 million by
2020,” adds Herdman.
China is not the only one complaining
publicly about ETS. India and Russia have
both been vociferous against the tax.
India has advised its airlines not to give
any emissions information nor hold any
direct talks with EU and instead, direct
inquiries to the government. Russia says
it will look at limiting Siberia overflights
for European airlines in an effort to step
up the pressure.
In the U.S, Airlines for America (A4A),
the industry trade organization for leading
U.S. airlines and affiliates commended
Department of Transportation Secretary
Ray LaHood for his support and efforts to
overturn the application of the EU ETS to
U.S. airlines and aircraft operators.
As a result, 23 governments met in
Moscow on Feb 21 and 22 and adopted
the Joint Declaration of the Moscow
Meeting on Inclusion of the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in the
EU-ETS. This outlines the participants’
position that the EU and its Member
States must cease application of the
Directive 2008/101/EC to airlines and
aircraft operators registered in third
States.
It was also decided to consider
measures initiating proceedings under
Article 84 (settlement of disputes) of the
Chicago Convention, barring participation
of airlines and aircraft operators in the EU
Biofuel Solution? ETS. The meeting also looked at whether
In a recent interview, EU Climate Action Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard the EU ETS is consistent with the World
warned about expanding the use of biofuels whilst the EU assesses the Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements,
potential damage to the earth’s climate. “Personally, I’ve always been very and discussed imposing additional
cautious on biofuels,” she said. “We should take very much care in Europe that levies on EU carriers and operators as
we are now not establishing a new industry that we then - after some time - countermeasure.
say, wow, that was not so good.” Nonetheless, she confirmed the EC was not A4A President and CEO Nicholas E.
backtracking on its commitment to the Renewable Energy Directive to provide Calio claimed that from a US perspective,
10% of transport fuels from biofuels and green alternatives by 2020.
the ETS is standing in the way of a
global framework at ICAO that will
20 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM