EU backs 2019 baseline for UN's aviation CO2 offsetting system

London — The members of the European Union have backed an adjusted baseline for the UN's international system for offsetting aviation's carbon dioxide emissions due to the expected impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sector's 2020 emissions.

The decision makes it more likely that the UN will go ahead with using 2019 as the baseline, which would avoid airlines having to take on much larger CO2 offsetting obligations under the UN scheme.

"The Council today adopted a decision adapting the EU position on the reference period to be used for measuring the growth of CO2 emissions in international aviation, to take account of the unprecedented drop in air traffic due to the coronavirus crisis," the EU Council said in a statement June 9.

"According to the EU position as set out by the decision, the amended baseline period for the emission values used to calculate growth factors should refer to 2019 emission levels," it said.

The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) — agreed under the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization — had originally included a baseline of 2019 and 2020 emissions, and airlines would have had to buy carbon offset credits for any CO2 emissions over this level.

However, the pandemic brought global air traffic to a near standstill, meaning the sector's 2020 emissions are likely to be extremely low by historical standards. Including 2020 in the baseline would therefore set an unusually stringent level from which airlines would have to offset additional CO2 emissions.

"Adapting the baseline is crucial to maintaining a similar level of ambition for the scheme and the commitment of ICAO states to the CORSIA pilot phase while taking into account the extremely difficult circumstances created by the pandemic for international air traffic," the EU Council said.

The CORSIA baseline is set to be discussed by the ICAO Council at its 220th session, running June 8-26.

Industry group the International Air Transport Association warned May 19 that using the original 2019-2020 baseline would increase the global bill for aviation carbon offsets by about $15 billion.

Environmental groups were quick to dismiss the calls for an adjusted baseline.

"Airlines have taken a massive hit due to the pandemic. They argue that they need to escape CORSIA requirements to save money," said US-based non-profit group Environmental Defense Fund in a statement June 9.

"But hastily rewriting the fundamental structure of the industry's market-based program to address airline carbon emissions would be penny-wise and future-foolish," it said.

The rule rewrite airlines are seeking would give them a "free pass to pollute with no offsetting requirements for three to five years or more," according to an EDF analysis.

Countries should wait to assess the post-pandemic recovery before changing the system's rules, it said.