Domestic and Regional Regulation in the Airlines Sector Essay

Domestic and Regional Regulation in the Airlines Sector - Essay Example However, the civil aviation sector has only contributed to ~3% of anthropogenic warming in the last 20 years, and therefore, it is a relatively small contributor to the phenomenon of climate change2. While using this argument, it is arguable that any climate policy involving the airline industry must strike a balance between the abatement costs and emissions reductions. The airline sector makes several arguments about aviation’s impact on climate change, including the fact that the industry has improved efficiency of aircraft fuel by more than 70%, which has brought together their environmental and economic goals3. Moreover, aggressive pursuit of increased fuel efficiency means that emissions of greenhouse gases from the sector account for less than 3% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions. However, the sector’s contribution to climate change has continued to elicit heated debate with EU-based environmental groups argue that the figure is closer to 10%4. The examination of these arguments and counterarguments must take metrics and language used into consideration in determining the actual impact of the aviation sector on climate change. Whatever the case, the airline sector in the EU faces a serious barrier to continued growth. Commercial aircraft are almost entirely reliant on jet fuel like kerosene, which means that their combustion by-products are unavoidable and, therefore, their regulation would risk increased production costs5. The lack of commercially viable, alternative sources of energy means that any regulations and policies seeking to mitigate climate change must take on a sectoral or industry-specific dimension to protect the airline sector’s economic viability6. Therefore, climate change deliberations at the Paris 2015 Conference on Climate Change should find policy prescriptions that mitigate climate change, while also considering dominant cost drivers.