ICAO Adopts Historic Climate Agreement for the Aviation Sector
By Prime Transatlantic
The international aviation industry made history today: the General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a market-based mechanism to regulate CO2 emissions from the sector.
Key bilateral talks between the U.S. and China in recent months paved the way to a workable compromise, overcoming significant political opposition — particularly from Russia and India. Suspense ran high as the details were hammered out in the closing minutes of the General Assembly. Climate experts and other observers are already asking what lessons in successful diplomacy can be carried into the larger climate negotiations.
Supported by a large majority of ICAO's more than 190 member states, the global aviation industry, and a strong coalition of civil society groups, the decision is the first time any global industry has accepted a mandatory CO2 measure on itself. The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation — CORSIA — is the first industry-wide, mandatory global climate measure.
The regime aims to stabilize international aviation CO2 emissions at 2020 levels, implementing the industry's commitment to carbon-neutral growth. CORSIA's adoption arrives one day after the voluntary Paris Agreement on Climate reached its threshold for entry into force.
A mandatory regime curbing emissions growth in one of the fastest-growing sectors worldwide was made possible only by the alignment of every key stakeholder in global aviation. U.S. and foreign government officials, airlines, manufacturers, suppliers, and a large number of civil society groups all worked through the technical and political questions raised by designing a global market-based measure.
The regime launches on a voluntary basis in 2021 and becomes mandatory for the majority of international aviation emissions by 2027. More than 60 countries have already indicated they will join during the voluntary phases, including the U.S., China, 44 European states, fast-growing aviation hubs such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Singapore, and developing nations including Kenya, Burkina Faso, and the Marshall Islands. Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa are expected to join the mandatory phase in 2027.
Some of the momentum behind ICAO's action came from the threat of a trade war between the U.S., EU, and China after the EU's 2012 attempt to bring all international flights to and from Europe under its existing Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The industry hopes today's measure will prove ambitious enough that European policymakers will permanently suspend ETS coverage of international flights, avoiding a costly patchwork of regimes.
Significant work remains before CORSIA's 2021 launch, including the types of carbon offsets airlines will be permitted to purchase and the related monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements. Successful, timely implementation will demand continued cooperation across all stakeholders.