News & Press
By Kaisa Amaral on 26 Nov 2020
UN shipping body torpedoes its own climate strategy
As the global efforts to cut CO2 pollution from ships hit the wall, regions and countries must step up. In Europe, work to bring the sector under the bloc’s carbon market is ongoing, but slowing down. Earlier this month, the UN shipping agency International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved a draft plan to cut CO2 pollution…
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By Ilaria Buttu, Gilles Dufrasne on 29 Oct 2020
Airlines continue to push against climate policies as EU Commission proposes new rules
Airlines have been hit hard by the pandemic induced economic slowdown and travel restrictions, but are also using the situation as an excuse to lobby even harder against climate regulations. As the EU works on its aviation climate package, it must ensure that – like other transport modes – the sector pays for its pollution…
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By Gilles Dufrasne on 1 Jul 2020
Airlines’ golden (corona) life jacket makes a mockery of the green recovery
It’s been a rough few months for the aviation sector around the world, as most aircraft have not left the tarmac and major airlines are losing millions every day. But the industry has used the situation very effectively to push governments to weaken climate policies. The same governments are handing out multi-billion euro bailout packages,…
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By Wijnand Stoefs on 27 Feb 2020
High time the maritime sector sailed into the EU carbon market
The EU is considering putting a price on carbon pollution from ships in the absence of movement in the international talks. While not enough to curb the sector’s soaring emissions, bringing it under Europe’s carbon market would be a big step in the right direction. Right now finding the solutions to cut greenhouse gas (GHG)…
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By Gilles Dufrasne on 26 Feb 2020
CORSIA: demand, supply and scaremongering
Warnings about a shortage of credits under the future aviation carbon market are unfounded. The upcoming decision on what airlines will be able to buy must, therefore, focus on ensuring that only credits from high-quality projects are eligible. It is crunch time again for the ICAO Council, the UN aviation agency’s decision-making body comprised of…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 28 Nov 2019
What does flight shame have to do with global carbon markets?
In two parallel global climate processes governments need to finalise details for both international carbon markets under the Paris Agreement and the future aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA. Meanwhile, citizens are losing patience with their leaders that move too slowly in the face of a climate breakdown. Strong action is therefore expected from decision-makers if they…
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By Sam Van den plas on 22 Nov 2019
Time to steer shipping into the EU carbon market
First published on Euractiv The UN shipping body’s failure to agree on immediate climate measures means the incoming European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, must make good of her promise to include the maritime sector under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) last week once again postponed decisions on concrete…
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By Gilles Dufrasne on 24 Sep 2019
Aviation needs a credible long-term climate strategy
The UN aviation body must urgently set robust, science-based long-term climate targets if the industry wants to win back the confidence of both investors and customers. Many Europeans are losing patience with airlines’ defensive attitude towards the aviation industry’s climate impact and are taking matters into their own hands – by choosing not to fly. …
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By Sabine Frank on 27 Jun 2019
EU countries under scrutiny for their role in opaque aviation agency
European countries who are members of the UN civil aviation body are keeping their work on climate policies for the aviation sector secret from their citizens, in breach of an international treaty on public access to environmental information. The Aarhus Convention covers three principles: access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making and access…
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By Sam Van den plas on 30 May 2019
Shipping must stay the course and agree on effective climate measures, including a pollution price
A year after the UN’s shipping body agreed to cut emissions from the sector by at least 50% by 2050, a meeting of the International Maritime Organisation in London failed to deliver concrete measures to achieve this goal – a course that must be corrected at the next session. Carbon pricing will play an important…
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