Advanced BioFuels USA

(GreenAir Online) The European Commission has opened an eight-week feedback period inviting comments on a revision of the Aviation EU ETS directive in order to implement the international CORSIA scheme consistent with the EU’s 2030 climate objectives and European Green Deal. The Commission is also proposing to reduce the amount of free allowances allocated to aircraft operators and will assess the geographical scope of the EU ETS after 2023 when the existing directive provides for automatic reversion to coverage of all flights to and from Europe as well as within Europe. An inception impact assessment has been published and feedback is encouraged from stakeholders and citizens by 28 August 2020 to help inform a public consultation planned for the third quarter. A regulatory proposal from the Commission is expected during the second quarter of 2021.

The EU ETS directive was last revised in 2017 to extend the intra-EEA geographical scope derogation until the end of 2023 to allow continuation towards implementation of ICAO’s CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme for international aviation following the ICAO Assembly agreement in 2016. In 2012, the EU first suspended the original scope of the EU ETS, which was to cover emissions from flights landing in and departing from airports in EU and EFTA States, following strong international opposition and pending the outcome of ongoing negotiations at ICAO.

The EU has also to examine whether CORSIA meets its own ‘environmental integrity’ tests before deciding on its next course of action. However, it has already shown support for the ICAO scheme and adopted legally-binding provisions for the purposes of implementing the monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions covered by CORSIA. EU states, with the exception of Sweden, agreed a controversial move to change the scheme’s baseline, at least during the three-year pilot phase starting next year, although this effectively removes offsetting obligations for aircraft operators during the period. The EU has also provided €20 million towards CORSIA capacity building in developing countries.

However, an amendment to the directive has to be adopted by the European Parliament and Council by December 2023 to prevent a return – although never implemented – to the full-scope provisions.

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The Commission is obliged to report to the Parliament and Council on an assessment of the ambition and overall environmental integrity of CORSIA, including its general ambition in relation to targets under the Paris Agreement, level of participation, enforceability, transparency, penalties for non-compliance, processes for public input, quality of offset credits, monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions, registries and accountability, as well as rules on the use of biofuels.

Another study by the Commission is examining the non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation.

Following the initial feedback process, the Commission’s public consultation will run for a minimum period of 12 weeks and will include a stakeholder meeting to present the main options under consideration.   READ MORE

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EU scientists urge policymakers to review ETS accounting rules for biomass (BioMarket Insights)