Curbing air travel - 8 golden rules

PRESS RELEASE: DECEMBER 4TH, 2006.

Dear Travel journalist, editor, broadcaster,

CURBING AIR TRAVEL - 8 GOLDEN RULES

With speculation over the weekend about an imminent increase in taxation via air passenger duty (APD) and EU plans to give airlines carbon dioxide quotas, responsibletravel.com asks what is the best way to reduce CO2 emissions from flying and to protect the jobs, livelihoods and local economic benefits created by responsible tourism?

The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday 2nd December that the Chancellor will unveil plans as part of his pre-budget report on Wednesday to raise APD as a form of green tax in response to the Stern report. Meanwhile The Sunday Times on 3rd December reports that EU officials are finalising plans this weekend to give airlines carbon quotas to limit their emissions. If an airline breaks its annual quota it will have to pay for an increased allowance from other companies (emissions trading).

Here are our 8 golden rules for evaluating any proposed UK or EU scheme:

1. Do something soon

We must reduce our total CO2 emissions by 60% (UK Government policy) or 80% (Conservative's view) before 2050. The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) figures (quoted in The Sunday Times 3rd December) state that leisure travel has more than doubled from 20m to 50m flights in the past 10 years. Although it now seems to us unrealistic, the UK Government expects air travel to more than double again by 2030 (180m flights to 475m flights: 2003 Aviation White paper).

This means that airlines' emissions saving initiatives (see note to editors) will be swamped by the growth in air travel not to say unable to produce the 60-80% reduction that is required. Reports that the EU emissions trading scheme for airlines will not be operable until 2011 - despite promises of 2008 – mean that we need an alternative solution in place before emissions trading begins.

2. Any intervention must result in significantly fewer flights per year

Initiatives by the airline industry to reduce emissions are welcome and should be rewarded but the key to reducing emissions enough to meet Government targets is for us to fly significantly less. The price increases resulting from either taxation via APD or emissions trading must be sufficient to deter frivolous air travel. £5 extra on short haul flights will not be sufficient.

3. Calculate flights' CO2 emissions properly

Rather than calculate emissions on miles flown calculations must allow for factors such as take off and landings – which are relatively highly polluting – or else low cost airlines will be falsely subsidised.

4. The scheme must create incentives for greener airlines

Although the cost of kerosene is already a powerful incentive to improve fuel efficiencies, a flat tax per flight such as an increase in APD will not create any further incentive for greener airlines. Market forces should be utilised to reward greener airlines. Airlines should be independently audited on their emissions and financial incentives (via tax or emissions trading) given for reductions.

5. The solution should help support CO2 reduction initiatives

In making the case for increasing green taxes on flights travellers will want the Government to be transparent about how increased tax revenues (already £1bn from APD) will be used to support CO2 reduction initiatives. The public will find it unacceptable for these ‘green taxes’ to simply disappear into general Government coffers.

One key advantage of emissions trading over taxation is that the scheme is built around the premise of polluters funding those who are polluting less. However, the scheme only works if the thresholds are such that people fly significantly less as this is the only way to reduce emissions sufficiently enough to meet the Stern targets.

6. Do not tax long haul developing countries out of the tourism market

While developing countries will suffer some of the severest impacts of global warming (Stern) they too need to be encouraged towards lower CO2 futures. This will require an investment on their part. We should not penalise their economies in order to manage emissions by developed countries (such as the UK) that have already grown their economies on the back of CO2 emissions.

Many of the world’s poorest destinations are dependent on tourism for jobs, livelihoods, conservation and development in a way that many developed countries are not. Tourism is in the top 5 exports for 80% of developing countries, and the principal export for a third of developing countries (WTO).

By attacking one of their key industries, and one that puts a value on pristine (CO2 absorbing) forests and natural environments, we will make it harder for them to invest in their own lower carbon futures. We need a ‘fair trade’ scheme to reduce flying significantly, but one that makes allowances for developing countries' relative dependence on tourism.

Any scheme must be focussed on firstly curbing non esential flying (for example flights to Manchester or Paris when there are good rail links or business travel that could be done via conference calls).

7. Constraint airport development

As well as stifling demand through higher pricing we need to constrain supply very carefully through any future development of existing or new airports. This must be done in such a way as to target frivolous travel and protect our economy.

8. Properly audited CO2 offset schemes are not a substitute for CO2 reduction, but they are a valuable way to address necessary emissions

There has been some justifed criticism of certain offset schemes. This does not mean that properly audited schemes do not have a valuable role to play in lower carbon futures. www.responsibletravel.com has been offering them to clients since early 2001.

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Notes to editors:

Emissions savings from initiatives - such as towing aircraft to avoid taxiing, using continuous descent approaches, improving fuel efficiencies by 5% over the past 2 years (CAA), and reducing the weight of planes - will be swamped by the growth in air travel. The simple facts are that CO2 emissions from air travel are growing very quickly, and this flies in the face of the need to reduce emissions signficantly (Stern).

responsibletravel.com is an on-line travel agent - based in Brighton, England - launched in 2001 for travellers who want more real and authentic holidays that also benefit the environment and local people. responsibletravel.com markets carefully pre-screened holidays from over 270 leading worldwide tourism brands and businesses. More about the company here.

Contact:

Justin Francis
press@responsibletravel.com
07787 555088 (m)