AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The document asserts that aviation is the fastest growing and most carbon intensive transport mode, contributing 5% of global warming. It criticizes ICAO's current approach as inadequate, focusing on limiting growth rather than reducing emissions. The brief calls for the removal of aviation fuel tax and VAT exemptions, the implementation of binding emissions reduction budgets for 2030 and 2050, and a more proactive EU role in ensuring the environmental integrity of a Global Market-Based Mechanism (GMBM). It also suggests shifting focus toward rail infrastructure to reduce aviation dependence.

• Aviation is the most carbon intensive and fastest growing transport mode, currently accounting for 5% of global warming. Its CO2 emissions are roughly equivalent to those of Germany and are projected to increase by up to 270% between 2010 and 2050, which contradicts the remaining global carbon budget of 1000 gigatonnes.
• The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is criticized for an inadequate approach that seeks only to stabilize emissions at 2020 levels through offsetting, rather than implementing absolute reductions. The document argues that ICAO should instead establish emissions reduction carbon budgets for 2030 and 2050.
• Tax exemptions for international aviation fuel and VAT on tickets act as subsidies that inflate fossil fuel demand and undermine economic incentives to adopt fuel-efficient aircraft or sustainable alternative fuels. These exemptions result in an estimated annual loss of 40 billion euros to state treasuries.
• Current global fleet fuel efficiency is improving by approximately 1.1% per year, failing to meet ICAO's aspirational goal of 2%. The document claims that industry pressure and a lack of government resolve have prevented the regulation of in-production aircraft.
• For a Global Market-Based Mechanism (GMBM) to have environmental integrity, it must ensure that reduction exemptions are compensated elsewhere, limit offsets to those with high sustainability and permanence, and allow developed regions like Europe and North America to apply more stringent provisions on departing flights.
• The EU is urged to close the 'ambition gap' between ICAO's goals and the EU's own target of a 40% domestic emissions reduction by 2030. Proposed actions include tightening the aviation EU ETS, expanding it to cover extra-EU flights in 2017, and refocusing state aid toward cross-border rail services.

APA

Carbon Market Watch (2015). AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Aviation-Policy-Brief_final.pdf

Chicago

Carbon Market Watch. AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE. 2015. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Aviation-Policy-Brief_final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Carbon Market Watch |title=AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE |date=2015 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Aviation-Policy-Brief_final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carbonmarketwatch2015aviation, author = {{Carbon Market Watch}}, title = {{AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE}}, institution = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2015}, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Aviation-Policy-Brief_final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }