Fact Sheet: Global Sectoral Approach for Addressing Aviation Emissions

The airline industry has a tremendous track record of environmental improvement achieved through continual investments in technology, operations and infrastructure. The industry recognizes the need further to reduce its CO2 emissions. This can only be achieved through:

• A multi-faceted approach with commitment from all stakeholders
• Governments making the necessary investments to modernize air traffic management.
• Establishing the legal and fiscal frameworks to promote investment in low carbon sustainable jet fuels.
• A Global Sectoral Approach to address aviation emissions in a post Kyoto framework.

Why a global sectoral approach?

• Aviation is a global industry. For a typical flight, CO2 will be emitted over several different countries, over international waters and even different continents
• While it is simple for governments to account for emissions from fixed sources within their borders it is difficult to do this with mobile sources such as international aviation
• Article 2.2 of the Kyoto Protocol recognized this by directing states to address emissions from international aviation through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• Aviation emissions should continue to be dealt with through ICAO at a global level

Principles of a Global Sectoral Approach

• Global sectoral approach to avoid overlapping regional and national policies
  • Aviation emissions treated as an indivisible sector total and not apportioned to individual States
  • Emissions accounted for at a global operator level not national level
  • Emitters charged just once for emissions (international or domestic)
  • Avoid distortion or carbon leakage
• ICAO must monitor emissions and ensure compliance
• Cost-effective and non discriminatory economic measures to reduce emissions
  • Must be implemented globally, on basis of consensus 
  • Must offer the greatest environmental benefit while being cost effective for the industry
  • Full and unrestricted access to properly regulated carbon markets
    • Such as emissions trading, carbon funds, offsets
  • Revenues must be earmarked for environmental purposes
    • Proportion for technology, operations and infrastructure improvements/investment that reduce aviation emissions
  • Provide incentives for more fuel efficient aircraft and low carbon fuel
• Design parameters
  • Global Sectoral Approach must be simple and universally applicable
  • Ensuring non discrimination while accommodating Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) for states
  • Should only cover CO2 emissions from aircraft
  • Non CO2 impacts to be dealt with once more is known about them

Updated November 2009