The European Parliament (EP) voted on 16 April by a large majority in favor of the ‘stop the clock’ proposal that will temporarily halt the inclusion of intercontinental flights in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for a period of one year to allow ICAO member states agree a market-based mechanism to limit the growth of international aviation emissions. The EP’s rapporteur on the Commission proposal, Mr. Peter Liese, said there had been progress in ICAO and the EU wanted to support the negotiations but warned that a substantive agreement, “not just hot air or empty promises”, would be expected from the ICAO Assembly in September or the clock would be restarted in full. By contrast, the ‘backloading’ proposal by the European Commission aimed at propping up the ailing price of carbon was narrowly rejected by MEPs, which could have far-reaching consequences for the EU ETS.
In a Plenary session of the EP, the ‘stop the clock’ vote proposal was passed 577-114, with opposition mainly from an unlikely coalition of green and conservative MEPs.
Speaking to journalists after the vote, German MEP Mr. Liese said the EU was realistic and didn’t expect an agreement to be reached at the 2013 ICAO Assembly on a global scheme to enter into force in 2014, “but we need a timetable to know when it will.” He added that an interim agreement would also be needed with third countries that would allow an amended version of the EU ETS to be implemented.
Mr. Liese said the United States had been the harshest critic of the inclusion of international flights from third countries into the EU ETS and called on the new US Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, not to adopt the same position as his predecessor, Ms. Hillary Clinton.
In the parliamentary debate before the vote, EU Climate Commissioner Ms. Connie Hedegaard said a global approach remained the EU’s preferred option and the ‘stop the clock’ gesture would create a unique window of opportunity for the ICAO process.
She said the ICAO Assembly in 2010 had agreed an aspirational goal of carbon-neutral growth by 2020 and the aviation industry had also committed to a similar goal as well as to reduce emissions by 50% on 2005 levels by 2050. “However, all trajectories show that without market-based measures these targets will be missed – in fact, a business-as-usual scenario suggests a 400% increase in emissions by 2050.”
Ms. Hedegaard added the 2013 Assembly would need to agree on an immediate and meaningful applicable framework that guides national and regional market-based mechanisms and a realistic timetable for a global market-based mechanism and an ambitious set of technological and operational measures.
“If clear and sufficient progress is made there, the Commission will propose further legislative action with a view to adapting the EU ETS in line with a successful ICAO outcome. However, if this is not the case then the EU ETS will again be applied to external flights.
“Let me also emphasise that all operators, whether inside or outside the EU, will have to comply for their intra-EU flights. These obligations will be strictly enforced – the principle of non-discrimination between operators has always, and will remain, a fundamental part of the EU’s position.”
Source: GreenAir Online