ATA welcomes ICAO broadened framework for aviation and climate

Air Transport Association of America (ATA) issued (11-Oct-2010) a statement applauding ICAO's adoption of a new set of provisions in its comprehensive plan for further addressing greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation. President and CEO James May applauded the ICAO adoption of additional guiding principles on market-based measures, but expressed deep disappointment in the decision by the European states to "reserve" on the aspects of the ICAO Assembly resolution that reconfirms that countries may impose emissions trading or other market-based measures on the airlines of other countries only through agreement and in accordance with treaty requirements and ICAO principles. [more]

ATA: "While meeting these goals will be challenging, we are especially pleased that the ICAO states recognised the importance of industry and government work on airframe and aircraft-engine breakthroughs, the development and deployment of sustainable alternative aviation fuels, modernisation of the air traffic control systems and other operational and infrastructure improvements as the core measures for continuing to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions ... Unfortunately, despite the tremendous step forward in cementing the international framework, the European states indicated their intent to continue to unilaterally impose their ETS and other measures on airlines from other countries, contrary to the will of all other States and contrary to international law. We had hoped that an agreement at ICAO would obviate the need for our legal challenge to the application of the EU ETS to our airlines; the European's resolve to ignore international law and key aspects of the new ICAO Assembly resolution only strengthens our resolve to fight in favour of them," James May, President and CEO. Source: ATA, 11-Oct-2010.