Easyjet, Ryanair and Wizz Air have teamed up to hit back against an attempt by their long-haul counterparts to limit the scope of new EU regulations surrounding non-CO2 emissions.
The European Union (EU) is introducing landmark rules which force airlines to report the quantity of non-CO2 emissions such as contrails, the vapour trails which streak behind flights.
IATA, the industry’s main trade body, has privately lobbied the EU to tone down the requirements amid growing concern in the aviation community. It argues the scheme should be voluntary and only apply to flights within Europe.
But in a joint letter to the European Commission, seen by City A.M., the low cost trio put aside their rivalry to attack the attempts to curtail the plans.
“We do not understand the intent of this effort to undermine the MRV scheme and why significant parts of the industry do not want to further the understanding of the science of non-CO2 effects,” they wrote, claiming IATA’s view was not representative of the lionshare of Europe’s largest carriers.
It adds that limiting the scheme to just intra-EU flights, which are Easyjet, Ryanair and Wizz Air’s primary market, would strike off a significant chunk of the data needed to truly understand the issue.
The aviation industry has faced ever-tightening restrictions on its colossal carbon output in recent years, but less is known of the impact of things like contrails, nitrogen oxide and sulphur.
The letter argued the MRV scheme would “support the development of a robust scientific evidence base” and drive “policy development.”
Intercontinental flights make up six per cent of total trips from Europe yet generate 52 per cent of carbon emissions. “Any credible EU policy cannot allow that their non-CO2 impact, which is likely even larger due to the location and timing of these flights, remains unmeasured,” the airline trio said.
In recent years, contrails have attracted particular scrutiny for their impact on global warming. The seemingly harmless white lines, which form from layers of humid air, are responsible for approximately 35 per cent of aviation emissions worldwide.
Some studies have estimated the skies above the North Atlantic could be covered by up to 10 per cent of contrail cirrus clouds, predominantly created by long haul aviation.
Krisztina Toth, aviation policy manager at the campaign group Transport & Environment, said: “Non-CO2 emissions were recognised as a climate problem 25 years ago. A monitoring tool offers a much needed first step that will help bring more understanding of the full climate impact of aviation.
“But some legacy carriers are lobbying to weaken the proposal to kill off any action that would finally allow us to understand and address the issue.”
IATA and the European Commission were approached for comment.