T&E and Climate Action Network Europe’s latest report on aviation and climate change can be downloaded here [1].
Executive Summary
Section 1 gives an overview of the impact of aviation on climate change, and also examines the economic importance of the aviation sector.
The main conclusions of this section of the report are as follows:
- In 2000, aviation was responsible for 4 to 9 per cent of the climate change impact of global human activity – the range reflecting uncertainty surrounding the effect of cirrus clouds
- aviation has by far the greatest climate impact of any transport mode, whether measured per passenger kilometre, per tonne kilometre, per € spent, or per hour spent
- today’s passenger aircraft are no more fuel-efficient than those that flew half a century ago
- the importance of aviation for the economy and employment is far less than its importance for climate change
- every segment of the aviation industry including manufacturers, airlines and airports is subsidised and enjoys major tax exemptions
Section 2 examines some of the policy options under consideration to combat the climate impact of aviation.
The main conclusions of this section of the report are:
- regional initiatives, such as those under discussion at EU level, provide the best hope for a multi-lateral solution to international aviation emissions for the foreseeable future
- EU-level action does not affect the competitive position of EU airlines compared with their non-EU competitors, provided that policies do not discriminate between EU and non EU carriers flying the same routes (which is obligatory anyway under the Chicago Convention)
- including aviation in the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) can be a good first step, provided the system is designed right
- additional measures like kerosene taxation and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions charges at airports are not only environmentally important but also justified in terms of cost effectiveness
- aviation is overwhelmingly an activity of the richest elements of society, measures to combat the environmental impact of aviation would not adversely impact the poor
- a ‘development tax’, such as the system introduced on 1 July in France, is a good way to make up for the VAT exemption of international air tickets and would benefit poor regions, not hurt them
The full report can be downloaded here [2].
