-
Centre mulls aviation emission offsets
India is examining possible mechanisms to offset higher emissions from rising civil aviation traffic, even as it has firmly opposed a global pact for curbing aviation emissions proposed by the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) that is currently being negotiated in Montreal.
“India’s aviation sector is growing at 22 per cent to 23 per cent over the last year and we expect it to continue to grow very rapidly over the next decade and a half, so emissions would rise,” said Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said at the World Sustainable Development Summit on Wednesday. “We have begun consultations in the ministry to see what we can do to offset the emissions,” he said.
India has ratified the COP21 accord on climate change this Sunday, but while approving its ratification, the Union Cabinet had last week empowered the civil aviation ministry to flag India’s concerns about the proposed aviation emissions pact, including the move to cap aviation emissions at 2020 levels.
Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar had pointed out, while briefing about the cabinet’s decisions, that capping emissions from aviation would be unfair for developing countries where the civil aviation market is not mature and the number of airlines is limited compared to the developed world. Bobby Wagner Authentic Jersey
Share This
