Europe’s major carriers want a delay in regulations targeting the non-CO2 impacts of flying on global warming, arguing this could distract from the aim of reducing carbon emissions.
Airlines for Europe (A4E) managing director Thomas Reynaert told a Transport and Environment summit on aviation’s non-CO2 effects: “Measuring non-CO2 is difficult. We recognise contrails and nitrogen oxides have an impact. [But] we ask to see more conclusive evidence before any regulation.”
A4E represents carriers including Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways parent IAG, the Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM in Europe.
“There is a recognition that we need to tackle CO2,” said Reynaert. “This is decades of work. We are committed to net zero by 2050. It will cost us and, ultimately, passengers a lot of money. Flying will become more expensive.
“Let’s focus on what we are committed to. Let’s be pragmatic. At the end of the day, the passenger will pay for it.”
However, Jane Amilhat, head of low-emission future industries at the European Commission’s directorate-general for research and innovation, said: “We still have uncertainties, but it is clear that non-CO2 impacts have a warming effect. We are not losing focus on CO2. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work in parallel on non-CO2 impacts.”
Yet Amilhat acknowledged: “Incentives for the industry are important. We want the aviation industry to be successful.”
Marylin Bastin, head of aviation sustainability at European air navigation safety organisation Eurocontrol, warned: “We need to be cautious on this because CO2 remains in the atmosphere for 100 years, which is not the case with non-CO2 impacts. It’s important we don’t degrade the aim on CO2.”
She added: “We would like to prioritise the best climate trajectory [for flights]. But when it comes to contrail avoidance, it is not easy to implement at a network level.”
Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr insisted earlier this month that pressure on airlines to decarbonise must “not damage our industry”, while Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary claimed EU emissions-reduction plans “may have to be pushed back” (Travel Weekly, April 7).