International Civil Aviation Tackles the Need to Reduce its Global CO2 Emissions.

On the occasion of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) High Level Meeting on a Global Market Based Measure (MBM) scheme, representatives from the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) emphasised on the need to tackle the civil aviation CO2 emissions.

As a member of the International Coordination Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA), ASD is actively engaged in the ICAO debate on a global MBM which is expected to be adopted at the ICAO Assembly in autumn 2016 for implementation from 2020 onwards. As such, a global MBM agreement would pave the way for the European Union to amend its own aviation Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and align it with the global scheme.

“The earlier agreement on an ambitious global ICAO aircraft CO2 certification standard together with the planned agreement on a global MBM are of crucial importance. ASD is committed to work on global measures for sustainable aviation” stated Mr Michel Wachenheim, Senior Advisor to the Airbus President & CEO and Chairman of ASD’s Civil Aviation Business Unit.

In addition, Mr Francis Couillard, Vice President Environment Policies, European and Multilateral Affairs Directorate at Safran and Member of the ASD Environment Commission, highlighted that “the global civil aviation industry has agreed on a pro-active action plan to tackle the impact of civil aviation on climate change based on a four pillar approach (technology, operations, infrastructure and a global market based measure). The goal is to achieve a 1.5% average annual fuel efficiency improvement from 2009 to 2020, to stabilise net aviation CO2 emissions at 2020 levels through carbon neutral growth and to reduce aviation’s net CO2 emissions to 50% of what they were in 2005, by 2050”.

Europe plays a crucial role to achieve global environmental targets through continued investment into Research and Development based on efficient and grant-based funding mechanisms. This requires sufficient public funding in particular for flagship programmes such as Clean Sky and SESAR.

“Thanks to continued European technological leadership and the financial support provided by the European Union and National Authorities for R&D funding, each new generation of aircraft is expected to have emissions some 15-20% less than the previous generation” said Mr Vincent De Vroey, ASD Civil Aviation Director. “ASD fully supports the need for a global solution as emissions are a global challenge and civil aviation is a global business. European industry and Authorities should therefore be actively involved in the ongoing ICAO debate. Once ICAO has adopted a global solution, Europe should amend its own aviation ETS and align it with the global scheme” concluded Mr Jan Pie, ASD Secretary General.