US airlines affirm emissions deal

MONTREAL/CANCUN: United States airlines yesterday affirmed their support for a plan to curb emissions from flights, under review by the Administration of President Donald Trump, who recently decided to take the country out of Paris climate change accord.

Several US airlines and industry groups said they backed the global aviation agreement approved by 70 countries, including the United States, to curb greenhouse gases from international flights.

Trump said last week the United States would withdraw from the landmark 2015 Paris pact to fight climate change, raising questions about whether he would also seek to back out of the 2021 voluntary phase of the airlines agreement.

Air Transport Action Group told reporters at an industry gathering in Cancun, Mexico, yesterday that the deal was less costly for carriers than navigating around multiple regional or national rules.

Airlines for America, the trade group for major US carriers, said in response to queries from Reuters that it remained committed to the agreement brokered by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

At the Mexico event this week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and carriers like American Airlines and United Airlines reiterated their support for the deal.

A US State Department spokeswoman said in an email that the aviation agreement was under review.

Under the global deal, airlines will buy carbon credits from environmental projects around the world to offset growth in emissions from international commercial flights.

The deal, known as the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, has a voluntary phase starting in 2021 and that would become mandatory. Without the pact, airlines would be charged for emissions by regions like Europe. — Reuters