Aviation and travel industry bodies hailed the outcome of an assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) last week which agreed a global goal of net-zero carbon emissions for aviation by 2050.
However, the agreements by representatives of 193 states in Montreal are not binding on governments, meaning targets can be missed without penalty.
Iata argued the adoption of a Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 “can’t be underestimated” and the World Travel & Tourism Council hailed it as “a historic agreement”.
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Iata director general Willie Walsh argued: “Now we expect much stronger policy initiatives in key areas of decarbonisation such as incentivising production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This agreement must lead to practical policy actions enabling all states to support the industry in rapid progress.”
The assembly agreed ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) should stabilise aviation emissions at 85% of 2019’s level – a baseline target identified by UK transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan at the start of the summit.
Walsh claimed the baseline “will place a significantly greater cost burden on airlines” and urged governments to avoid “economic measures [that] undermine Corsia”.
The assembly called on the ICAO council to define and promote the transition to SAF and facilitate access to financing for SAF infrastructure projects.
It urged governments to accelerate development of SAF; to certify new aircraft and engines to allow 100%-SAF use; to consider incentives to support SAF deployment; and to support changes to airport and energy supply infrastructure.
Walsh insisted: “Governments must not lose the momentum that has driven this assembly. The costs of decarbonising aviation are in trillions of dollars and the timeline to transition a global industry is long.
“Governments must work with industry to implement a global policy framework capable of attracting the financial resources needed.”
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye also hailed “a historic moment” but said: “To scale SAF we need government mandates and price incentives.”
However, Brussels-based environmental lobby group Transport & Environment (T&E) greeted the outcome of the assembly as “an empty goal” and “hugely disappointing” and described Corsia as a “cheap offsetting scheme”.
It accused the assembly of “watering down the only tool at their disposal” to address aviation’s climate impact with an offsetting scheme that would see “a mere 22% of total international emissions” offset by 2030.
T&E aviation director Jo Dardenne said: “This is not aviation’s ‘Paris Agreement’. ICAO continues to adapt its measures for the benefit of the industry and not the climate.”
She called on governments and specifically the EU to “see through this smokescreen”.
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