Michael Gill, Director "“ Aviation Environment, International Air Transport Association (IATA) talks about the market-based measures for aviation carbon emissions.
Q.The IATA AGM has passed a resolution on a market-based measure for aviation carbon emissions. What does this resolution mean?
A.First of all we are so delighted that the IATA airlines have adopted this resolution at the AGM. What it means is a firm commitment that reaffirms the previous commitment of the airline industry to the adoption of a global market bases measure of aviation by ICAO and specifically a mandatory carbon offsetting scheme that would be implemented from 2020 and that"™s going to lay our industry to meet its 2020 target of carbon neutral growth.
Q.Why does the industry need carbon offsetting to achieve carbon-neutral growth?
A.Well, the aviation industry has adopted a four pillar strategy to dress its climate impact and it"™s through the use of operational measures, better use of infrastructure and new technology that we are already achieving significant reductions in CO2 emissions. But why we need this carbon offsetting scheme is the fourth pillar of strategy, it"™s an economic measure to allow us to achieve this carbon-neutral growth target of 2020, where the other three pillars have not quite got us to that target.
Q.Are you confident that governments will agree to a carbon offsetting scheme?
A.This is a political process and in any political process there is no guarantee of the final outcome until the agreement is signed but we do see real engagement from the government in this process. We see genuine attempts to find consensus on some very sensitive political issues and there is president for this in the recent past, governments have has shown willingness to come to agreement in the climate space area. In December, last year we had the Paris agreement on UNFCCC and just in February this year at ICAO governments agreed on a CO2 certification standard, for new aircrafts. So the governments have shown willingness to come together in the recent past on this issue and so we are confident that come ICAO assembly in September, governments again will show that willingness and to achieve consensus and to achieve the agreement…
