Is 'Disappointed' In ICAO Position Against The Carbon Tax

The European Union on Thursday said it would proceed with its plan to assess a carbon tax on airlines operating in European airspace beginning January 1st despite an ICAO white paper warning of a potential trade war over the payments.

The ICAO document has the backing of the U.S., China, Japan, and Russia, according to the French news service AFP. It strongly recommends that the EU exempt non-European carriers from the rules scheduled to go into effect at the first of the year.

EU climate action commissioner Connie Hedegaard said earlier in the week that other countries should be working to reduce their own emissions to match the EU's standards. She said that no tax would be imposed if airliners meet EU emission standards.

"It is disappointing that ICAO discussions once again focus on what States should not do instead of what they should do to curb growing aviation emissions," Hedegaard said in a statement posted on the EU website following the release of the ICAO working paper.

"Unfortunately ICAO has missed again today the opportunity to tell the world when it will table a viable global solution.

"However, this decision will affect neither the EU's commitment to working within ICAO to agree on a global solution nor our adopted legislation to include aviation in the EU ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme).

"Europe is delivering on its commitment to reduce emissions. And it's doing so in line with principles that ICAO has itself endorsed. If the other countries want to reduce aviation emissions differently, that is fine. Our legislation clearly says that if a country outside the EU takes 'equivalent measures' to reduce aviation emissions, all incoming flights from that country can be exempted from the EU system. We really look forward to plans from other states to reduce aviation emissions."

Reuters reports that the aviation industry has called for quick action on the ETS or risk a trade and tourism dispute with countries like the United States. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a resolution forbidding airlines to pay the tax.

The 26 nations opposing the scheme are warning of a "chaotic situation" if other countries try to craft similar rules. The director general of the International Air Transport Association says the industry was in a position that it could put market-based tools in place to control emissions, but said the EU should work internationally rather than making unilateral decisions.

FMI: www.europa.eu, www.icao.int