UK-based Climate Care has highlighted parts of the UK Government’s recently published Energy White Paper that should sound as a warning to the aviation industry.
Climate Care’s Director Tom Morton explained to TravelMole: “One theme that runs through the paper is the need, ‘to cut the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by about 2050…with real progress by 2020.’ These cuts will come from industry, households, transport and electricity generation.”
“Air transport is only given a brief mention but the figures are worrying. The UK’s current emissions from international aviation amount to 9 million tonnes of carbon (33 million tonnes of CO2) a year. By 2020, this is forecast to rise to 15 MtC (55 MtCO2).
“This increase of over 60% is clearly going in the opposite direction to the 60% reduction that the government is looking for over all sectors. As the White Paper suggests, the government is looking at a number of ways to make aviation pay for its pollution and reduce its contribution to climate change.”
Morton explained: “At Climate Care, we do not believe that taxation will lead to a significant reduction in demand for air travel. Demand is likely to be inelastic, in the same way that, despite a high road fuel tax, emissions from road transport have spiralled.
“Rather, the aviation industry should be given a cap on the amount of greenhouse gases it can emit each year. If these limits are exceeded airlines must buy emissions reductions permits – either from other companies who have achieved their targets or from projects set up specifically to reduce greenhouse gases.
“Emissions are only one of the environmental side effects of aviation but a system of emissions trading will allow the industry to move towards the 60% target in an economically efficient manner. Parts of the industry recognise the problem and are engaging with government but the majority aren’t – regulation is around the corner.”
See the full text of the White Paper at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper
For more information about Climate Care’s system for emissions trading, see the TravelMole article on the new Climate Care new website where users can calculate the emissions from flights and offset them online.
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