Industry, member nations squabble over carbon emissions at International Civil Aviation Organisation session

20 September 2007

Draft measures to clip the rapidly increasing greenhouse gas emissions by airlines are creating a rift at the 36th session of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) that are being held in Montreal since Tuesday 18 September. (See: International Civil Aviation Organisation's 36th session to focus on safety, security and the environment )

Representatives of 190 nations are meeting in Montreal this week. The ICAO assembly meets every three years to refine, harmonise or set new worldwide air travel regulations. The big issue on the agenda of the present session is to decide how to curb carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions linked to global warming.

The move comes in the background of the European Union (EU) preparing to take unilateral action to force airlines to pollute less. Other major issues on the agenda, like new airline safety and security measures, have already found consensus before the session got going.

The hotly contested issue is whether to impose mandatory emissions cuts on the largest airlines or continue the voluntary approach for all airlines unveiled at the ICAO's last meeting in 2004.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Giovanni Bisignani, who represents the airline industry, has challenged ICAO member states to set a target of 120 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually through a "more efficient infrastructure and better operations", in a pre-session statement. (See: High oil prices, credit crunch, can hurt airline industry: says IATA chief Giovanni Bisignani )

He also proposed that governments offer airlines tax breaks to renew their fleets, as well as research grants to develop greener aircraft and fuel, rather than include airlines in the EU carbon trading market. Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Brazil and India are said to oppose the EU proposal.