Brussels, 28/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ended in Montreal, Canada, on Friday 28 September without clear agreement on a way forward to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation, failing to rally around the EU's ambitious plan to introduce civil aviation into the EU's carbon trading system (ETS, emissions trading system) (see EUROPE 9503). The resolution adopted on Friday 28 September recognises the validity of the ETS, but said that any decision to join it had to be made by mutual consent between the EU and other countries. A quarter of ICAO's 190 member states, however, expressed reservations about the resolution, which safeguards the EU's ability to introduce an aviation emissions trading scheme.
Speaking in Montreal on Friday, Luis Fonseca de Almeida, Director General of Civil Aviation for Portugal, regretted that the international community had not managed to agree on an effective mechanism on tackling aviation emissions: 'That is a very great failing that should concern us all.' EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, who is also vice president of the European Commission, commented in a press release: 'ICAO has made an important contribution to safer and more secure air transport but its record on aircraft emissions is simply not good enough. While Europe will continue to support and participate in ICAO work on the environment, we must make more and quicker progress to tackle the urgent problem of climate change.'
In the same press release, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: 'In order to fight climate change, all sectors must contribute in a fair way, including aviation, whose emissions are increasing very rapidly. It is a great pity that ICAO has not been able to reach an agreement on the way forward.'
The EU's proposal was supported in Montreal by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), whose members, alongside the 27 EU member states, include Norway, Switzerland and Turkey, explains the European Transport and Environment federation, welcoming the fact that the EU will be continuing with its carbon trading system despite the divisions at ICAO. (aby)