Airlines and environmental groups have criticised a recent agreement on Europe’s emissions trading scheme (ETS) which could see a family of four pay £150 in carbon charges in 2030.
Earlier this month, the European Commission, European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers signed off on the next phase of the ETS for aviation, bringing forward the end of free carbon allowances for airlines by a year to 2026.
They agreed a portion of revenue from the scheme, about €1.6 billion a year, will fund sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and airlines will be required to report the non-CO2 climate effects of flying, which could be as damaging as CO2, for the first time.
The ETS covers all UK flights to and from the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. However, the scheme will not be expanded to include flights beyond Europe. Instead, the EC will “assess” the impact of the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) “to see if [by 2026] it’s delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement” on climate.
Airline lobby group Airlines for Europe (A4E) welcomed the SAF allowance but said: “A4E is extremely disappointed about phasing out free ETS allowances…well before effective decarbonisation solutions will be available.”
Brussels-based environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E) warned the agreement meant “another lost decade in tackling emissions”, arguing the failure to include long-haul flights meant “58% of Europe’s aviation CO2 emissions remain unaccounted for”.
The EU ETS is forecast to raise €39 billion in carbon charges by 2030. T&E said including all flights would raise €97 billion.
Following the agreement it noted: “A family of four flying between Paris and Athens would pay €169 [£150] under the ETS in 2030. A business traveller flying four times a year between Paris and New York would pay €12 under Corsia while emitting twice as much CO2.”
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “Europe’s most-polluting flights will be exempt from paying their fair share. That is clearly unfair.”