The agreement at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on the contribution made by the international aviation transport sector to the global fight against climate change is not a panacea, but given the broad support for the draft text currently being negotiated in Montreal, the European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said on Friday 30 September that she was "cautiously optimistic" about the outcome of the negotiations – which will continue until Friday 7 October.
In a press release published by her staff, the commissioner stated: "After four days of discussions, I am pleased with the positive momentum emerging from ICAO's Assembly, and cautiously optimistic that there will be a positive outcome". The reason for this optimism relates to the "large majority in favour of the current draft resolution" on a global market based measure (GMBM) that will enable aviation transport to reach carbon neutral growth as from 2020 and which will enter into force in 2021. By 2027 it will be binding, except for countries that are exempt, such as the less advanced countries and those that have small air passenger transport sectors.
This scheme combines technological progress (improving fuels, energy efficiency and flight routes) with compensating sector emissions by using other sectors and continues to represent the "lowest common denominator" for the EU. The commissioner is, however, delighted that many other countries have swelled the ranks of the countries that are prepared to participate in the system early on, such as EU member states and neighbourhood countries (see EUROPE 11635, 11621).
There are currently 63 states, representing more than 83.8% of international aviation activity, that intend to participate voluntarily in the GMBM scheme from its outset (2021). These countries include a significant number of Latin American and African countries, as well as Australia, Thailand, the US and recently, Israel, Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea.
The European Parliament was circumspect even before the negotiations kicked off and called on the Commission involved in the negotiations to be firm. Peter Liese (EPP, Germany) and Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands), as well as the NGOs actively involved in promoting sustainable transport, such as Transport & Environment, were expecting an ambitious and binding system by 2020 but regret that the agreement, which is now within our reach is "proposing derogations and compensation but not a reduction in emissions" for a sector whose emissions continue to increase and which up until now has remained on the margins of the fight against climate change (see EUROPE 11633 , 11620). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)