UN aviation body rejects EU emissions proposals

(BRUSSELS) - Members of the International Civil Aviation Organization rejected EU proposals Friday to cut carbon emissions made by the aviation industry, the European Commission said.

The Commission said a "majority of delegates" at the 36th meeting of the UN air transport body in Montreal "refused to sign up to meaningful targets to reduce aviation emissions."

The European Union's executive arm had pushed a compromise that would have called for high-level officials to work out targets as well as to include airlines in emissions trading schemes, as the the Commission aims to do in Europe.

"It is a great pity that the ICAO has not been able to reach an agreement on the way forward," Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said in a statement released in Brussels.

"The EU has set up an ambitious and comprehensive emissions trading system and is in the process of agreeing legislation that would extend it to aviation emissions. This process must continue without delay," he added.

But Giovanni Bisignani, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing the airline industry, contended that the European initiatives were misguided.

"Europe's unilateral approach to emissions trading confuses taking leadership with taking cash," Bisignani said. "It is disappointing and irresponsible."

Commercial flights currently account for two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the ICAO.

Despite improvements in most aircraft's discharge, total airline industry emissions have increased dramatically in the past decade as more flights took off due to the emergence of cheap air travel, said the UN aviation body.

Airline industry venting is expected to continue rising to three percent of total carbon emissions by 2050, if left unchecked, the ICAO said, while the global fleet doubles to more than 36,000 by 2025 as projected by US aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

The ICAO assembly meets every three years to refine, harmonize or set new worldwide air travel regulations.