EU strategy for climate protection without involving aviation?

With publication of a new EU strategy for climate protection in transport EU commission is confessing its difficulties to submit a comprehensive plan for all carriers for a contribution to climate protection.

The proposal of EU commission dated 20th of July 2016, including a number of options for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, is neither addressing a ruling for industry nor for energy generation, but sees sufficient ruling by European emissions trading. This seems to be a problematic area because exactly this European emissions trading system is to be amended and to be updated.

Given an amendment of EU ETS supposed to have a positive impact in terms of decarbonizing air traffic, addressing all technologies, and accordingly a compelling promotion of alternative fuels – than this is unfortunately left open and obviously a new strategy will not change this significantly. Siegfried Knecht, CEO of aireg e.V. states: “If there are no clear signals from EU side, things are staying unclear and this will long term stress the goals of climate protection. Research in seminal raw materials and development of advanced technologies in bio refinery opens bright economic perspective, especially in Germany – therefore we urgently ask for reliability in planning.”

Even if aireg is welcoming the general process of development at EU commission to enforce climate protection in transport, Knecht is claiming: “Air transport has no alternative even if in 10 – 15 years from now on electrical mobility has entered aviation, there is no other choice than to support hybridelectrical power units in aviation with hydrocarbon fluids based on renewable raw materials in order to make sure to fulfil agreed upon goals.”

Hence Knecht appeals: “EU commission need to promote massively the development of alternative air fuels. Therefore it is essential to have a secured framework for bridgetechnologies in areas of fuel and power engines,  a simple reference to global framework of ICAO is not sufficient. A broad observation of Mobility and Fuelstrategy of Federal Government (MKS) is essential to increase ability of the European industrial location in this specific area.