Title

Ready for Takeoff? The Race to Develop a Global Framework on Aviation GHGs

Abstract

2012 marks a potential turning point in the debate about policies to constrain the climate impact of aircraft. Commercial aviation is a significant contributor to climate change, being responsible for approximately 3.5% of anthropogenic global warming in 2005, with CO2 emissions projected to quadruple by mid-century. Beginning January 1st, the European Union began imposing a price on carbon for flights arriving or departing its airports, leading to charges of violating international law and threats of retaliation from foreign nations concerned about the potential impact on their carriers. Within the US, a coalition of NGOs filed suit against the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 for delays in regulating aviation greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act. A decision on that suit, anticipated in the first half of this year, may start the countdown to domestic regulation. This seminar will provide an insider’s perspective on the policy and technical issues under discussion, with a specific focus on efforts by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop a global framework to control aviation emissions. In particular, Dan will summarize three years of ICCT research on aircraft and airline efficiency and discuss the implications of that work for ICAO’s efforts to design an efficiency standard for new aircraft. He will also discuss related policies such as the EU’s Aviation Directive and the potential contribution of aviation alternative fuels in constraining emissions growth.