Sometimes the simplest solution is the best, but good luck getting politicians on board when the subject involves the emissions trading scheme (ETS), which was implemented by the European Union on January 1. The EU-ETS is a confounding piece of logically challenged political mumbo jumbo disguised as a lofty goal, the reduction of carbon emissions by aircraft flying to and from Europe. (The EU’s efforts to reduce aviation carbon emissions, it should be noted, are necessary because of agreements made in the signing of the Kyoto Protocol. And, countries that don’t like the ETS are free to counter with their own carbon-reduction programs, although this hasn’t happened yet, and some countries have prohibited their air carriers from complying with the ETS.)
While many provisions of the EU-ETS are needlessly complicated, what mostly upsets airlines and business jet operators is that the EU is assessing a carbon tax on the entire flight—for aircraft arriving in and departing from the participating countries—not just the portion over European airspace. The implementation is much more complex, however, and this is where most of the problems lie.
Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.
