Climate policy

On a global scale, environmental protection work in aviation is undertaken through the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO operating under the United Nations. The work is coordinated by ICAO Council's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP).

The resolution on climate change adopted by the ICAO Assembly in 2010 established the emission reduction goals and outlined the economic guidance instruments to curb CO2 emissions from international air transport. With respect to aviation emissions, the goal is to achieve carbon-neutral growth starting from year 2020.

The Assembly, in which Trafi participated as the Finnish national aviation authority, agreed to improve the energy-efficiency of civil aviation by two per cent in every year until 2050. The member states will issue action plans which outline the national measures for curbing climate change and report to ICAO the CO2 emissions from international aviation in their national airspace.

State action plan

The State Action Plan on the climate change and emission reduction activities under the ICAO Resolution must be completed by June 2012. Finland prepares the action plan based on the common model agreed among the EU and ECAC member states.

The plan contains a national and an international section. The Aviation and Climate Change Action Plan Expert Group (ACCAPEG), in which Trafi is also involved, has drafted a text for the international section. Trafi will prepare the national  section describing the circumstances specific to Finland in co-operation with air carriers, aerodrome operators and air navigation service providers.

The ACCAPEG has identified five specific pan-European sectors for environmental collaboration. These sectors include:

• Technological development in aeronautics, especially the global CO2 standard for aircraft engine emissions being prepared by the CAEP. The standard is due in 2013.
• Research and development concerning technologies designed to reduce emissions (such as the projects under the Clean Sky initiative).
• Development and introduction of sustainable alternative fuels (biofuels).
• Optimisation and improvement of airspace management and infrastructure in Europe and across the EU borders, especially through the SESAR and AIRE initiatives.
• Economic guidance instruments, especially the EU ETS for aviation.