The Australian Federal Government appears to be committed to an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). In spite of the politics surrounding this issue, it is inevitable that Australia will develop something consistent with global and national expectations to cut carbon emissions.
All industries including aviation will be subjected to a scheme which in the final analysis is designed to modify our individual and collective behaviours so as to reduce our ‘carbon foot print’.
Much work has being going on behind the scenes in ICAO, and the Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (GIACC), in which Australia was represented, has recommended a global aspirational goal of 2% annual improvement in fuel efficiency of the international civil aviation in-service fleet. This would represent a cumulative improvement of 13 % in the short-term (2010 to 2012), 26% in the medium-term (2013 to 2020) and about 60% in the long-term (2021 to 2050), from a 2005 base level.
These targets may appear optimistic, but regardless of your view on them, be rest assured that the aviation industry is seen to be an easy target in spite of the fact that it only contributes about 2% of the world carbon dioxide and only 3% of the man made contribution to climate change. By way of contrast, the road transport industry contributes 74% of the global CO2 emissions.
Accepting that some Government initiated scheme will occur, the questions must be asked; who, what and when?
Little information has been made available about the ETS and how it may affect the aviation sectors. Of most concern is that regional and general aviation may not be able to pass on associated costs due to consumer intolerability. Before any detail of the ETS or any other scheme is decided upon, industry must be consulted and studies undertaken to determine what impact an ETS will have on the industry and the consumers it serves. Having obtained the information, policy should be developed to ensure that any scheme acknowledges and compensates for the scheme; consistent with promises made to the energy and mining industries. Industry should also be involved in a working group or groups to ensure a sensible, effective and efficient implementation of the scheme.
There is a real danger that sectors of the aviation industry serving regional and remote communities (particularly) may wither on the vine in the new climate of the ETS.
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