Climate Change News

Below are news items on climate change – many with relevance to aviation

Copenhagen ends surrounded by confusion with no legal agreement, no emissions reduction targets and only an unsatisfactory deal between the US, China, Brazil, India and South Africa

Date added: 19 December, 2009

Copenhagen drew to an unsatisfactory close, with negotiators only able to secure a non-binding agreement between the developed and developing nations. The deal did not include emissions reduction targets, only an over-arching aspiration to limit the temperature rise to 2C. There are no figures for binding commitments by developed nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade. There is only watered-down language on verification. The US, China, Brazil, India and South Africa had "agreed to set a mitigation target to limit warming to no more than 2C" - Europe did not join that. John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said "It is now evident that beating global warming will require a radically different model of politics than the one on display here in Copenhagen."

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Copenhagen close to failure on aviation and shipping emissions

Date added: 18 December, 2009

The Copenhagen climate negotiations have yet to identify a feasible way forward to reduce emissions from international aviation and shipping. Since 1990 emissions from shipping have grown by more than 85% and from international aviation by over 50%. There are two possible ways to reduce these "bunker" emissions - by a separate global ETS for aviation and shipping and a climate levy on marine fuel. The NGOs set out their proposals a way forward.

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Air Transport Association Sues To Halt EU ETS

Date added: 18 December, 2009

Three US airlines, Continental, American and United,and the Air Transport Association have filed suit in a  UK court, seeking to block implementation of the EU ETS.   It is the first legal action brought by US airlines in a European court to halt the inclusion of international aviation in the ETS. They are claiming that "ICAO continues to be the appropriate UN body for establishing climate change targets and measures for aviation" and they want a global, sector-focused approach.(Aviation Week)

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Glimmers of hope emerge from Copenhagen on progress towards a climate deal on international aviation

Date added: 14 December, 2009

At the Copenhagen negotiations, negotiators dealing with bunker fuel emissions (international aviation and shipping emissions) are inching slowly and painfully towards an agreed text to take forward to the next stage of the process. In a briefing, it was suggested that a deal can be done in Copenhagen that would give a clear signal and direction to both ICAO and the IMO, on the emissions reductions required by the sectors and a timeline by which to develop a framework. However, other COP-watchers are not so optimistic. (GreenAir)

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UK opens consultation on 2nd stage of transposing Aviation EU ETS directive into national regulations

Date added: 14 December, 2009

DECC has opened a 12-week public consultation seeking views on the second set of draft UK regulations to transpose the EU directive on the inclusion of aviation into the EU ETS.   The first set came into force on 17 September 2009.   These new regulations will ultimately repeal in part and replace the first stage regulations. The consultation runs till 5th March 2010. Under the current rules, an airline that ceased flying in 2012 would continue to receive a free allocation each year up to 2020.   (GreenAir)

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Aviation on agenda at climate conference

Date added: 9 December, 2009

Delegates at Copenhagen are being told that the price of air travel has to rise as the world meets the challenge of capping carbon emissions and keeping temperatures from rising. The  report by Britain's CCC suggests the airline industry can grow by as much as 60% by 2050 without affecting the UK's climate targets. The CCC also said in order for aviation to continue to grow, other parts of the economy will have to reduce their CO2 by 90%, which is even more than the government's targets. (ABC)

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Aviation policy? Rip it up, start again

Date added: 9 December, 2009

Leo Murray, writing in the Guardian, explains why aviation policy – including plans to expand Heathrow – has collapsed.   The government  transport committee still says the 2003 white paper "remains a sensible basis for policy".   But now the CCC has said -even making very optimistic assumptions - only a very few airports can expand, not the 30 in the ATWP. The architects of UK aviation policy must return to the drawing board and start the entire conversation again, but this time taking climate change into account.

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Aviation expansion policy is not compatible with climate target, say Government advisors

Date added: 8 December, 2009

The Aviation Environment Federation comments on today's CCC report, that it slams the brakes on the unrestrained expansion forecast in the now hopelessly outdated and discredited 2003 White Paper. The Committee says UK aviation growth cannot exceed 60% above today’s passenger numbers, not the 200%+ figure the Government still desperately clings to.   There is still  a policy gap that could be filled by infrastructure constraints as well as additional aviation taxes. The industry will have to operate in a demand-constrained framework through to 2050.

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This decade ‘warmest on record’ say Met Office and World Meteorological Organization

Date added: 8 December, 2009

The first decade of this century is "by far" the warmest since instrumental records began, say the UK Met Office and World Meteorological Organization.   Their analyses also show that 2009 will almost certainly be the fifth warmest in the 160-year record.   Burgeoning El Nino conditions, adding to man-made greenhouse warming, have pushed 2009 into the "top 10" years.   "We are in a warming trend - we have no doubt about it."    (BBC)

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Green lobby insists carbon figures don’t allow Heathrow expansion

Date added: 8 December, 2009

The CCC report today does not rule out expansion of Heathrow.   The CCC says that in 2050, if a 3rd runway has been built and is operating at full capacity, the airport will account for 20% of total [UK] flights,which it says  is consistent with meeting the Government’s carbon target.   The figures do not add up.   The CCC has rejected the ATWP's projected 200% air  passenger increase by 2050 - and this is degree of growth that any "need" for the 3rd runway at Heathrow is based upon.

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