Aviation sector aims for pact on emissions
Leaders gather in Montreal to vote on accord
Representatives from nearly every country in the world will convene in Montreal this week to vote on an environmental accord for the aviation sector — a proposal that, if approved, will be the first global emissions pact ever reached for a single industry.
After more than a decade of work, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a Montreal-based agency of the United Nations, has come up with a draft proposal that aims to cap emissions from international flights at 2020 levels.
It’s an ambitious and potentially groundbreaking scheme that would curtail a significant source of pollution — international aviation currently accounts for 1.3 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to ICAO — but could also result in higher costs for airlines and their passengers.
That hasn’t stopped the airlines’ global trade association from supporting the proposal, however, and even expressing its desire for a more stringent pact.
“The aviation industry would have preferred a more ambitious timeline than is currently outlined in the draft text,” Alexandre de Juniac, director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association, said in a statement.
“However, what is most important is that the substance of the negotiating text will allow for meaningful management of aviation’s carbon footprint. Airlines support it and urge governments to agree when they meet at ICAO.”
From the airline industry’s perspective, a global pact is better than a complex and costly patchwork of regional regulations.
ICAO will ask members to vote on its proposal at its triennial assembly in Montreal, which runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7.
If approved, the pact will be voluntary from 2021-26, then mandatory for all but a few exempted countries from 2027. It will create a carbon market where airlines can buy credits to offset any emissions above 2020 levels, while also encouraging them to reduce emissions through new technologies, operational improvements and the use of alternative fuels.
It has its share of detractors, but the general consensus is that it strikes the balance necessary to get a critical mass of countries to sign on.
“A mandatory approach would be simpler and ensure a level playing field for all carriers,” said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick. “However, we recognize that there needs to be political acceptability amongst a wide variety of states to get an agreement.”
WestJet Airlines Ltd. agreed, calling it the industry’s best shot at reducing emissions.