Open brief: ‘Luchtvaart, zorg voor robuuste regels CO2-uitstoot’

13 mei 2016In een open brief roepen 64 milieu-organisaties en Europarlementariërs de luchtvaartsector op een robuust instrument te ontwikkelen om de emissies in lijn te brengen met het Klimaatakkoord van Parijs. 

De open brief komt in de week dat in Montreal de International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) bijeen komt om afspraken te maken over CO2-uitstoot in de luchtvaart. De luchtvaartsector werd, net als de scheepvaart, buiten het klimaatakkoord gehouden. De uitstoot van de luchtvaart is verantwoordelijk voor zo’n 5 procent van de opwarming van de aarde, aldus het persbericht van Carbon Market Watch over de open brief. ‘If left unaddressed, emissions from aviation are expected to grow by up to 300% by 2050’, aldus het bericht.

Carbon Market Watch komt in een begeleidend beleidsdocument met eisen voor een robuust en werkend mondiaal instrument.

Uit de Policy Brief
‘(…) Main imperatives:
  • Recognize the need to limit global average temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels in line with the Paris Agreement
  • Set the 2020 climate neutral goal as a legally binding floor for the entire sector as a whole, with reviews every 3 years to rapidly and substantially increase ambition over time
  • Ensure environmental and social integrity of carbon credits used for compliance in the GMBM, mandate strict MRV, and prevent double counting so as to not compromise efforts
  • Consult relevant stakeholders while fostering transparency through public access to information (…)’

Namens Nederland ondertekende Hivos de open brief en Europarlementariër Bas Eickhout.

Hieronder de tekst van de brief. (Om alle afzenders te zien, klik op de link naar de brief onder ‘Bronnen’)

‘(…) Dear Parties of the International Civil Aviation Organization, dear Ministers,

We, the undersigned, representing 64 networks, organizations and concerned European Members of the European Parliament from 28 countries, call on you to show bold political leadership and do everything in your power to reach an ambitious, binding, environmentally robust agreement to address aviation emissions in order to contribute to fulfilling the Paris commitment to limit global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.
International aviation is a top ten global polluter. In 2014, the sector emitted more CO2 into the atmosphere than the combined emissions of the 129 lowest emitting countries, causing an estimated 4.9% of all global warming. Left unaddressed, aviation emissions are expected to grow by up to 300% by 2050, which will breach our global carbon budget and significantly undermine the Paris target.
ICAO’s next General Assembly in October is your best opportunity to make sure aviation does its fair share to tackle climate change, in line with the rest of the world’s efforts. ICAO has taken almost 20 years to get to this point and we cannot afford any further delay.
The global market-based mechanism (GMBM), designed to fulfill the ‘carbon neutral growth 2020’ goal, can only deliver real climate action if you adopt stringent and transparent rules as well as high environmental standards. Consequently, we, the undersigned organisations, call on you to:

  • Set ambitious targets: ICAO resolution must acknowledge the Paris agreement and recognise the need to pursue urgent efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. In this regard, the carbon neutral growth 2020 goal must be a binding first step, with provisions to increase ambition over time. In order to preserve the overall goal, any exemptions, e.g. for new entrants or poorer countries, in the GMBM should be compensated by greater emissions reductions by non-exempt participants.
  • Guarantee environmental integrity: it is of utmost importance that mitigation projects developed to compensate for aviation’s emissions actually deliver real, additional, permanent, verified reductions and fulfill strong environmental and social criteria. Consequently, credit quality criteria for purchasing offset credits should be mandatory for all operators and a negative list banning projects with known negative environmental or social impacts (e.g. large hydro, fossil fuel projects) should be established.
  • Avoid double counting: the resolution must include provisions for robust accounting and MRV to ensure that credits are not counted multiple times, while being transparent and consistent with efforts and actions taken under the UNFCCC.
  • Adopt transparent decision making: more transparency will bring more confidence in the measure. Negotiating documents should be made public and options for public participation should be provided.

The ICAO High Level Meeting held in Montreal from May 11 to May 13 will be an important moment for you to discuss the integrity and the ambition of the GMBM. We ask that you keep in mind our requests for a robust GMBM during the discussions. (…)

Bronnen
Carbon Market Watch, 11 mei 2016: Press Statement: Open letter calls on aviation leaders to meet global climate commitments
Open brief
Policy Brief van Carbon Market Watch (pdf)

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