Within the scope of this course the presentation results from the commissioned group works, divided into thematic clusters - supplemented by active discussions - have acuminated the view on contents and concepts of this issued EU Policy. In doing so, it was a major aim to analyse political instruments within the EU, used to accesses various fields of environmental problems.
Congruously in this Policy Paper, a specific instrument of EU Environmental Policy is chosen to be analysed and finally evaluated by its performances and capabilities as operational policy instrument.
In the course of the seminar, the preservative subject area of Climate Policy has crystallised as an emerged and large-scaled subject to EU Environmental Policy. EU Climate Policy contacts nearly every field in European environmental adoption. Facing the latest scientific prognoses and reviewing European as well
as common global environmental activity - the abatement of Climate Change appears to be one of the most superordinated aims.
Hence, this policy topic especially defies an exemplary investigation on how EU policy-making proceeds, to protect environment in anent to a current issue.
At present, the EU Emissions Trade System / -Scheme (EU ETS) as one of the most expansive pillars to the Union’s Climate Policy and concurrently the most comprehensive global ETS, is ought to be completed within its second (of three) phases of development. The integration of EU-wide aviation into the system of EU ET proceeding since 2003 is a main part to the future enterprise in expanding EU Climate Policy. Within this step of integration the EU has
declared its ambition to take a pioneering task in combating global Climate Change until 2020.
During the current decade, critical scientists appraise the realisation of those aims as an impossible scenario for near future (Hahn 2006 / Brockhagen 2004). Not less, within this EU-wide expansion plans the EU ETS is ought to cover and regulate a mobile pollution sector, which has grown eminently during the last
decade and as so far has enjoyed special status to national politics.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The EU Emissions Trading System
2.1 Summarising ET: General Concepts of the Policy Instrument
2.2 Contents and Concepts of EU-Emissions Trading System
2.2.1 Selected background of EU-agreements on the EU-ET Scheme
2.2.2 Profiling present moulding concepts of the European Union’s ET System
2.3 Incorporating Aviation into the EU ETS: Contents and Stage of Affairs
2.3.1 Incorporating aviation into EU ETS: Impact and selected content
2.3.2 Incorporating aviation into EU ETS: Stage of affairs
3 Issues related to the Introduction of Aviation into the EU ETS
3.1 Problems in Implementing EU-wide Aviation into the EU ETS
3.2 Problems in Implementation: Divergences in an UN-wide context
4 EU-ET: Values and Deficits in Proceeding Problems from Aviation
4.1 Values and Potentials of the EU ETS in a Special Regard to Aviation
4.2 Deficits and Criticism to the EU ETS in Proceeding Problems from Aviation
5 Intermediate Result: Evaluation of Deficits and Values
6 Future Proposals to the Inclusion of Aviation into the EU ETS
7 Conclusions
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the effectiveness of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) as a policy tool for managing environmental impacts from the aviation sector. It explores the conceptual integration of aviation into this market-based framework, evaluates the associated implementation challenges, and identifies potential modifications to optimize the system's performance in achieving climate targets.
- The theoretical and practical foundations of the EU ETS regarding aviation.
- Barriers to implementing EU-wide aviation regulation within global institutional contexts.
- Economic and environmental trade-offs of using market-based governance for a mobile pollution sector.
- The tension between market-driven aviation growth and stringent environmental sustainability targets.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Problems in Implementation: Divergences in an UN-wide Context
International aviation traffic is highly interlaced and interdependent.
In a global context various national governments are interested in protecting domestic airlines from derogatory economical interference they expect by regulative scenarios from European, as well as from other cognisable international Emissions Trading regimes.
The ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) as specialized UN agency and global forum for civil aviation actually plays a major role in the delivery of implementations of minimum standards in aviation (UN 1998: para. 2: Art. 2). At the sixth meeting of the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection in 2004, state actors broadly agreed that an international aviation ETS based on a new legal instrument under ICAO auspices, seemed “sufficiently unattractive” and because of this, should “not be pursued further" (CEC 2005: p.9 ; CEC 2006). Instead, Resolution 35-5 of the assembly endorsed “open” Emissions Trading, characterized by non-binding guidance as appropriate to incorporate emissions from international aviation into existing ETSs.
In the run-up, 22 nations adduced by the USA (Brockhagen 2004: p.3) inter alia Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, India and China declared to form an international alliance against the EUs proposal to include aviation emission into an ETS (ibid. 2004: p.1). Brockhagen (2004: p.3 et seqq.) illustrates on behalf of the ENGO “Germanwatch”, that during the whole first decade in 2000 (e.g: T&E 2007: p.5 et seqq.) the US Administration strictly hold the view against introductions of legal-binding ET in international aviation.
In short, declared commissions to push achievements of worldwide legal emission regulation within an international auchepiece of the ICAO-forum in this constellation is temporarily used to blockade goals of non-pollution by the opposition of various important industrial states.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the policy paper within the Master course and outlines the research objective to analyze the EU ETS as an instrument for protecting the environment from aviation emissions.
2 The EU Emissions Trading System: The chapter summarizes the theoretical concepts of Emissions Trading and details the specific integration of the aviation sector into the EU's existing framework.
3 Issues related to the Introduction of Aviation into the EU ETS: This section addresses implementation challenges, specifically examining institutional differences within the EU and divergences in international UN-wide contexts.
4 EU-ET: Values and Deficits in Proceeding Problems from Aviation: An evaluation of the potential benefits and significant institutional or environmental criticisms regarding the application of the EU ETS to the aviation industry.
5 Intermediate Result: Evaluation of Deficits and Values: A synthesis of the analysis, concluding that current regulatory frameworks require further modifications to effectively decouple aviation growth from environmental degradation.
6 Future Proposals to the Inclusion of Aviation into the EU ETS: This chapter isolates four policy dimensions—institutions, economic regulation, society, and environmentalism—to propose improvements for the EU ETS.
7 Conclusions: The final chapter summarizes the findings, reiterating that while the EU ETS is a necessary step, it requires substantial adjustments to serve as an effective instrument for sustainable aviation.
Keywords
EU Emissions Trading System, Aviation, Climate Policy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Environmental Regulation, Cap-and-Trade, Sustainability, Market-based Governance, ICAO, Directive 2008/101/CEC, Aircraft Operators, Emissions Allowances, Climate Change, Environmental Policy Integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this policy paper?
The paper examines how the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is being adapted to incorporate the aviation sector and assesses whether this instrument is effective in reducing aviation-related environmental impacts.
What are the primary themes discussed in the research?
Key themes include the theoretical foundations of cap-and-trade systems, the institutional barriers to implementing these rules in aviation, the conflict between market growth and environmental protection, and potential policy modifications.
What is the main research question of the study?
The primary question is: How effective can the policy arrangement of the EU ETS be in containing environmental problems arising from the aviation sector?
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author uses a policy analysis approach, evaluating the EU ETS through the lens of governance research, comparing political aims with economic realities, and synthesizing findings from existing reports and scientific literature.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the development of the EU ETS, specific challenges of integrating aviation, an evaluation of the system’s values and deficits, and concrete policy proposals for improvement.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The most relevant keywords include EU Emissions Trading System, aviation, climate policy, cap-and-trade, environmental regulation, and sustainability.
How does the author view the integration of aviation into the EU ETS?
The author sees it as a necessary but currently insufficient "proto-type" that faces significant hurdles, such as political resistance from non-EU nations and the struggle to align environmental aims with economic growth objectives.
What role does the ICAO play in the context of this study?
The ICAO is highlighted as a critical global forum where international opposition to the EU's unilateral move to include aviation in an emissions trading scheme has stalled broader global progress.
What specific solutions does the author propose for the system's shortcomings?
The author suggests implementing minimum price floors for emissions certificates, creating mediation processes between institutional and industrial actors, and better embedding the system within broader structural policy programs.
- Citar trabajo
- Mathias van Driel (Autor), 2010, The Incorporation of Aviation into the EU´s Emissions Trading System, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153705
