Airlines’ climate obligations postponed as UN body endorses industry proposal

(Climate Home News, 1 Jul 2020) A handful of countries on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization agreed to change the rules to reduce the sector’s carbon costs

Airlines have wriggled out of their climate obligations over the next few years, after a handful of countries bowed to industry pressure to weaken the sector’s climate deal.

The 36 countries that sit on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) – the UN body responsible for aviation – agreed on Tuesday to ease airlines’ obligation to offset their emission growth until at least 2023.

The move effectively postpones the date airlines have to start paying for carbon credits to offset a portion of their climate impact.

The decision was made after the International Air Transport Association (Iata) lobbied Icao to change the baseline from which emissions growth will be measured – a move it estimates could save airlines $15 billion in carbon offsetting costs.

As air travel collapsed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and with many airlines pleading for government bailouts, Iata argued previously agreed rules would create “an inappropriate economic burden on the sector”.

But observers and campaigners say the move has deflated the little ambition of the aviation’s sector climate plan, which was already “far below what is needed to avoid climate catastrophe”, according to a coalition of NGOs.

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Climate Home News, 1 Jul 2020: Airlines’ climate obligations postponed as UN body endorses industry proposal

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