Aircraft operators who will be subject to Europe’s new emissions trading scheme (ETS) from Jan. 1, 2012, need to start preparing now to be part of this complex process. Pre-compliance emissions monitoring will be conducted for flights in 2010 and 2011, and in order to participate, operators must submit a monitoring plan by this August for approval by year-end.
The pre-compliance emissions monitoring will measure each aircraft’s emissions in terms of metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer flown. In fact, operators do not have to take part in this benchmarking process from 2010, but unless they do so, they will not be entitled to the “free” ETS credits or allowances that will be issued on the basis of the measurements. The benchmarking data will be based on analysis of the passengers, baggage and freight carried with flight distances calculated according to the great circle route plus 95 km (51 nm).