News: BA call for Climate scheme to keep within Europe
Flights > News > # 735 (07/04/2006)
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BA have already made substantial reductions in emmissions due to fleet upgrades. This has been helped further by the retirement of the fuel thirsty Concorde. |
British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, has said the European Commission should keep its plans for aviation emissions trading simple and practical.
In his first major speech on the environment, Mr Walsh urged the Commission not to risk delaying the extension of its carbon trading scheme to airlines by making the arrangements too complicated. He said it was vital to bring the European Union scheme into operation to demonstrate the aviation industry’s commitment to addressing its impact on global warming. But he warned that the size of aviation’s share of global carbon emissions was sometimes overstated.
Addressing Ireland’s National Management Conference in Co Wicklow, he said the European scheme should apply, initially at least, to flights within the EU only. He also said that the initial carbon allocations to airlines should be based on their emissions performance, as in other industries, rather than an auction. Mr Walsh urged that the scheme should not attempt to take account of the upper atmosphere effects of aircraft, on which there is little scientific consensus and which are not included in the Kyoto Protocol.
“In summary, we urge the European Commission to go for simplicity. Over-complication of a scheme that has to apply to 25 member countries will only cause delay or inconsistent implementation.”
Mr Walsh added:
“The important thing is to bring the scheme into operation. Of course modifications may become necessary, but a working international system of emissions trading for aviation will send a powerful message that the industry is determined to address its environmental impact.”
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