Climate Change News
Below are news items on climate change – many with relevance to aviation
Emissions trading: public consultation on future EU ETS auctioning rules launched
A public consultation on rules to govern the future auctioning of emission allowances under the EU ETS has been launched by consultants working for the European Commission. The consultation forms part of the Commission's preparation of a Regulation on auctioning of allowances with respect to the third and later trading periods. It ends on 3rd August. From 2013 at least half of the allowances under the EU ETS will be auctioned. (eGov monitor)
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Government’s carbon offsetting plans exposed as con by FoE
Friends of the Earth have released a report about why offsetting is failing, and is both ineffective and damaging. Dangerous climate change will be unavoidable if the UK, EU and USA succeed in increasing the use of carbon offsetting. The report exposes carbon offsetting as a con which is failing to reduce, and in some cases is even increasing, carbon emissions. The Government is actively promoting the increased use of offsetting at the UN climate talks.
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What is the real climate impact of flying and what can we do about it? (BBC info)
The BBC has produced an excellent page, setting out a great deal of information on the climate change impacts of aviation. Well worth a look. It is at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bloom/guides/flying.shtml
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Aviation now contributes 4.9% of climate change worldwide
Work by the IPCC now estimates that aviation accounted for 4.9% of man-made climate impacts in 2005. This contrasts with the 2% figure that is constantly quoted by aviation lobbyists, and 3% which the same authors quoted two years ago. They have now revised their estimates with 2 important changes: including for the first time estimates of cirrus cloud formation and allowing for aviation growth between 2000 and 2005. The effect of these is to increase aviation’s impacts to 3.5% without cirrus and 4.9% including cirrus. (AEF)
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New U.N. Climate Deal: Not Much Bolder Than Kyoto?
A planned new UN climate pact is shaping up to be a mildly tougher version of the existing Kyoto Protocol rather than a bold treaty to save what US President Obama has called a "planet in peril." The E3G think tank said there was not a lot of ambition in the submissions to the UN published this month to meet a deadline for consideration in a deal in Copenhagen in December. Targets for CO2 cuts by 2020 are far too low to avoid a rise of over 2C. (Reuters)
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Rich nations greenhouse gas emissions rise in 2007
Greenhouse gas emissions from industrialized nations rose by nearly 1% in 2007, led by strong gains in the United States. Carbon emissions from countries signed up to the Kyoto Protocol climate pact edged up by 0.1% in 2007, mainly due to rises in Japan and Canada. Under Kyoto, 40 or so developed countries committed in 1997 to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012.
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Budget 09: APD to increase but aviation is excluded from first ever carbon budget
The Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) has published its comment on the budget. It can be found on the AEF website at www.aef.org.uk AEF remains concerned that the Government’s continued failure to bring aviation emissions into line with climate policy will put any long term targets out of reach
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Budget – Pledge to reduce greenhouse gases
The chancellor has announced measures aimed at cutting the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. The Budget commits the UK to cut CO2 emissions by 34% by 2020. To ensure an 80% cut in emissions by 2050, the government needed to have cut emissions by 42% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline. The first carbon budgets have been set. However, the CCC has recommended that international aviation is not explicitly included in the UK’s carbon budgets at this stage.
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Enough green talk. Now make it happen – Nicholas Stern
The 3rd runway go-ahead throws doubt on the Government's eco-credentials. This Budget tomorrow could put it back on track - and is a critical test of the consistency and credibility of the Government's policies on climate change. The Government has accepted the overwhelming arguments for reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 80%, compared with 1990, in the next 40 years. It is vital the Government shows it is credible on the environment. (Times)
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Firms abandon carbon offsets
Carbon offset projects in emerging economies, once the darling of British companies keen to address their environmental impact, are becoming the latest casualty of the recession. Sales of credits for voluntary offsetting projects plummeted 70% during the first two months of this year compared with the last two months of 2008. The price of these credits also suffered, falling 30%. Companies are realising it is more sensible to cut their emissions. (Times)