Secretary-General Welcomes Proposal by Aviation Industry of First-Ever Binding Standards Aimed at Limiting Carbon Emissions

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement today by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) proposing the first binding limits on emissions from the aviation industry.

The proposed rules, which would limit carbon emissions and strengthen the efficiency of all new commercial and business airliners after 2028, build on the strong momentum coming from the Paris Agreement and represent the latest in a series of successful multilateral efforts to reduce the risks of dangerous climate change.

Carbon emissions from aviation are growing rapidly, with the number of flights worldwide expected to double in the next 15 years.  The ICAO’s new rules come after years of negotiations and are the first time that Governments have set emissions standards for the aviation industry.

The Secretary-General commends this first step to reduce carbon emissions from air travel and calls for further strengthening of emissions standards as quickly as possible, in line with the scientific imperative for action.