The European Commission is weighing a proposal to extend its Emissions Trading System to all flights departing EU territory. Currently, the cap-and-trade system only applies to flights within the EU, leaving international routes unregulated. This potential shift aims to close the emissions gap in the aviation sector but faces heavy pushback from low-cost carriers and international trading partners over costs and industry balance.
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The gap between intra-EU and international flights is a massive loophole in carbon accounting. If the EU actually pushes this through, the real fight will be over the reporting standards for non-EU carriers. We will see a lot of disputes over who actually pays the allowance for the departing leg.
True, but the article doesn't mention if there is a plan for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credits to offset these costs. Without a clear path to cheaper green fuel, this just looks like a price hike for passengers rather than a real decarbonization tool.
Airlines always complain about costs, but the infrastructure for electric or hydrogen flight is still decades away for long haul. I wonder what the actual projected emissions drop is here. Does the EU have a concrete number, or is this just a revenue play disguised as climate policy?
