News & Press
By Kaisa Amaral on 16 Mar 2020
ICAO decision on aviation carbon market rules a step in the right direction but fails to exclude all junk credits
MONTREAL/BRUSSELS, 14 March 2020. The UN aviation body ICAO’s Council has agreed to recognise carbon offsets from six existing offset programmes for use by airlines under CORSIA, the UN’s new carbon market for aviation. The Council’s 36 member countries also decided to limit the age of credits used as well as the type of projects eligible. However, the total supply of…
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UN aviation body delays decision on key rules for airline offset scheme
28 June 2018 – BRUSSELS. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council approved part of the package of rules for its future aviation offsetting scheme (CORSIA) yesterday in Montreal. The Council postponed decisions on offset and biofuel criteria, fueling concerns that they may be weakened before the next Council meeting in September. The 36 member countries…
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Obscure aviation climate deal could undermine the Paris Agreement
BONN 14 November 2017. A new Columbia Law School report reveals major shortcomings in how the UN aviation body (ICAO) interprets transparency and public participation requirements. The report’s findings come amidst a closed meeting in Montreal that kick-starts the approval of rules for ICAO’s new carbon offsetting scheme. A separate Carbon Market Watch analysis on…
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Markets must increase climate ambition – Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP23 in Bonn
BRUSSELS 3 November 2017. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Bonn from 6 to 17 November, under the Fijian Presidency, on how to implement the Paris climate deal. One open question is the role carbon markets will play in meeting global climate targets. Carbon Market Watch will be in Bonn to follow…
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European Parliament backs stricter aviation pollution rules
BRUSSELS 13 September 2017. Today, the European Parliament adopted its position on aviation’s role under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Lawmakers agreed to continue the exclusion of international flights from the EU ETS until 2021 but took steps to ensure that the sector will have to reduce and pay more for its soaring emissions. Decision…
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EU lawmakers improve Europe’s aviation pollution rules
11 Jul 2017 BRUSSELS 11 July 2017. Today, the European Parliament’s environment committee voted to include international flights in Europe’s carbon market from 2021 onwards. Lawmakers also took small steps towards making the aviation industry pay more for its massive climate impact. The committee was voting on aviation’s future role under the EU’s Emissions Trading…
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EU’s climate reputation bruised as long-haul flight exemption extended
BRUSSELS 3 February 2017. The European Commission has proposed to continue to exempt all flights to and from Europe from paying for their pollution under the EU’s carbon market rules, following an international agreement on aviation emissions. An uncertain global agreement should not be allowed to undermine EU’s climate efforts. The proposal comes after the…
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Global aviation climate measure an uncertain first step
MONTREAL | BRUSSELS, 6 October 2016. Today, negotiators at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly agreed on a deal to address international aviation emissions. The deal falls far short of ICAO’s original goal of compensating the sector’s overall emissions growth from 2020. Explicit language -included in the Paris Agreement- on international oversight and environmental safeguards…
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ICSA Calls for Environmental Integrity and Broad Participation On International Efforts to Offset Aviation Pollution
After nearly 20 years of international negotiations, 191 countries are positioned to adopt a global market-based measure (GMBM) to address emissions growth from international aviation during a two-week aviation summit in Montreal from 27 September to 7 October, 2016.
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Open letter calls on aviation leaders to meet global climate commitments
Brussels 11 May 2016. On the opening day of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) high level meeting in Montreal, 64 environmental organisations and Members of the European Parliament call for the aviation sector to develop a robust tool to reduce their emissions in line with the Paris agreement.
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Carbon pricing 
International transport 
Climate governance 
Fair climate action