The European Parliament’s environment committee, meeting in Brussels on Tuesday 11 July approved the extension until the end of 2020 of the derogation to the emissions trading system (ETS) for long haul flights.
This is pending the finalisation of the details of the agreement on CORSIA (Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, a global market-based measure to address the sector’s CO2 emissions) reached by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in October 2016.
MEPs voted by a wide majority (53 to 3, with 6 abstentions) to approve the extension in a vote on the draft regulations brought forward by the Commission in February 2016. The Commission did not set any date (see EUROPE 11718).
The Council of the EU has also voted for a derogation for flights outside the European Economic Area to allow time for implementation of CORSIA from 2021 (see EUROPE 11814).
Environment committee goes further. As a precaution, the committee calls for international flights to be included in the ETS from 1 January 2021 unless the EU were to decide otherwise following assessment of CORSIA in light of the ETS.
“This exemption must be time limited so that we can be sure that the CORSIA will deliver its objectives”, said rapporteur Julie Girling (ECR, UK).
MEPs also say that, from 2021, airlines should pay for half of their ETS allowances (as compared with 85% of allowances which are currently free) and that member states earmark the revenue generated by the auctioning of emissions allowances for climate change policies. A decision of this sort is the sole preserve of finance ministers.
CORSIA seeks the carbon-neutral growth of the sector by means of a system of offsetting the emissions among the different sectors, does not set a reduction target for aircraft emissions and will be voluntary until 2027.
NGOs, which have, from the outset, criticised the system as being insufficient, are satisfied with the committee vote. “The effectiveness of aviation’s global scheme is under scrutiny due to its weak target, voluntary nature and reliance on offsets. Today, EU lawmakers sent a strong signal that an ineffective international deal should not be allowed to undermine Europe’s climate action at home” said Kelsey Perlman, Aviation Policy Officer at Carbon Market Watch. The increase in the percentage of allowances that have to be paid for was also welcomed.
The European Parliament will adopt its position in September prior to opening negotiations on this issue with the Council. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)