First international CO2 deal branded a ‘weak start’ for a better future
The first international deal limiting greenhouse gases has been branded as a “weak start” by a major environmental group.
From 2020, any increase in airline CO2 emissions will have to be balanced out by tree planting.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) agreed to the deal which was considered “unprecedented” by Britain’s Aviation Minister Lord Ahmad.
He told the BBC: “For years, the UK has pushed to tackle emissions globally. Now, 191 countries have sent a clear message that aviation will play its part in combating climate change.”
But the deal has been undermined by the non-governmental organisation Transports & Environment, who said: “Today’s decision to offset but not reduce CO2 emissions from aircraft, and on a voluntary basis, is a weak start which must be followed with more effective measures by states to rein in aviation emissions”
The NGO says there is a lack of clear rules for the conditions of the deal, and that it is a clear risk to the measures’ effectiveness
However, ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu is happy with the result. Speaking in Montreal, where the deal was agreed, he said: “It has taken a great deal of effort and understanding to reach this stage, and I want to applaud the spirit of consensus and compromise demonstrated by our Member States, industry and civil society”
T&E aviation director Bill Hemmings added: “Today is not mission accomplished for ICAO, Europe or industry. The world needs more than voluntary agreements. Without robust environmental safeguards the offsets won’t cut emissions, leaving us with a deal that amounts to little more than adding the price of a cup of coffee to a ticket.”
