Brussels, 13 October 1998

No environmental progress at global aviation talks: European action is necessary

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has shown a clear lack of will to take action on environmental issues during its recent general assembly. Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) and the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) therefore urge the European Union not to continue to wait for global action any longer, but to move forward on a number of environmental issues. The European Union should introduce emission-related environmental charges, a kerosene tax for all flights within the EU and stricter emission limits.

ICAO is the United Nation's body responsible for the promotion of global aviation. Early October ICAO met in Montreal for its general assembly to address aviation's growing environmental impact. The assembly adopted a series of resolutions which basically rule out global action on environmental issues like noise, kerosene tax and emissions until at least the next general assembly, which will take place in 2001.

ICAO even urges states to "refrain from introducing unilateral measures that would be harmful to the development of international aviation." Despite the call for action from last year's Climate Conference in Kyoto, ICAO seems not to be prepared to give the issue of global warming serious enough attention. Although aviation bunker fuels are currently not included in the reduction agreements under the Kyoto Protocol, ICAO decided not to come with recommendations how to change this.

The EU's attempt to move ICAO to introduce effective measures failed, due to opposition from important countries like the United States. Since global action has not come into place, measures need to be taken at the regional or national level. In this context FoEE and T&E welcome last week's EU Transport Council decision to go further than ICAO by introducing a regulation to ban the most noisy planes from EU airports by the year 2002.

The FoEE campaign 'The Right Price for Air Travel' has called out for a second international Action Day on Aviation and Environment on November 6-7. Environmental and citizen's groups in more than 20 European countries are expected to take part. T&E has recently published a study 'The feasibility of a European aviation charge' which finds that environmental charges are economically feasible.

For more information please contact:

The European Federation of Transport and Environment
Beatrice Schell, phone: +32-2-5029909 (Brussels)