Emissions trading systems (ETS) in Europe are undergoing a transition post-Brexit, with the EU contemplating the incorporation of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) carbon offset program and new targets coming from the EU Green Deal, advised Bruce Parry, director of environment for the International Business Aviation Council. Parry provided an overview of the changes in Europe during a webinar on “Managing Your Carbon Footprint” on Tuesday as part of NBAA’s virtual Flight Operations Conference.

At the beginning of the year, the UK began managing participating aircraft based in its territories under its own ETS programs. Parry said UK authorities should have already reached out to participating operators, but new operators should contact the appropriate authority within their particular region of the UK. Operators seeking free allocations of emissions allowances will need to apply for them by the end of March, he added.

Meanwhile, the EU recently held a consultation soliciting input on planned revisions to the EU ETS, including how to fold in the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and on the ability of the aviation sector to pass CO₂ costs onto passengers. During this process, the EU is planning to increase its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the original 40 percent over 1990 levels to 55 percent. This is keeping in line with the European Green Deal.

In the U.S., CORSIA remains voluntary for now because the FAA does not have regulations in place to implement it, noted Dan Williams, senior international advisor for the FAA’s Office of Environment and Energy, who also participated in the webinar.

However, under the voluntary program, the FAA has received 30 emissions monitoring plans (EMPs) that have been approved and has received 139 submissions that include EMPs, signatory forms, and/or assessments. This participation represents nearly 98 percent of the applicable international fuel burn of 2018. “It’s gone well,” he said.

The webinar also focused on potential means to meet emissions targets, including the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and voluntary offsets.

Steve Csonka, executive director of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, said that current SAF pathways now provide an estimated 60 to 80 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas reductions. Currently, it is offered in a 50/50 SAF/traditional jet-A fuel blend, but researchers have identified and are exploring possibilities for 100 percent use of SAF.

Among the biggest challenges right now for SAF is availability. But with a jump in new agreements, global availability is estimated to grow to at least one billion gallons annually and perhaps even double that by 2025, he said.

Juan Muniz, lead global regulatory service specialist for Universal Weather & Aviation, stressed the advantages of using voluntary carbon offsets for meeting targets, noting that they could represent significant savings.