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U.S. States Strive to Exceed Global Emissions Standards in Aviation, Reports Reuters

By David Shepardson and Allison Lampert

WASHINGTON/MONTREAL – The Biden administration is being urged by five states to adopt more stringent emissions standards for flights than current global benchmarks. This comes as pressure increases to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector.

Major aircraft and engine manufacturers, along with airline representatives, recently committed to a non-binding goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. However, environmental advocates argue that enhanced regulatory measures are necessary for these objectives to be meaningful.

In a letter addressed to White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Federal Aviation Administration, the states emphasized that the EPA should implement international aircraft emissions standards at domestic U.S. airports.

The Biden administration has yet to respond to these recommendations.

The letter, representing Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, California, and Minnesota, suggests that the EPA should proactively establish standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from new aircraft engines that will come into service after 2030, potentially ahead of regulations from the U.N.’s aviation agency.

Currently, U.S. aviation policy tends to focus on aspirational targets and tax incentives for sustainable aviation fuel rather than enforceable greenhouse gas regulations. Recently, the White House set an aviation emissions reduction goal of 20% by 2030.

However, by pursuing independent aviation standards, the U.S. risks straying from the globally accepted benchmarks developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which governs a range of aviation regulations.

The letter advocates for the U.S. to take ownership of its aircraft emissions policy instead of relying on ICAO.

"While airlines express ambitions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, federal policies to back that commitment remain insufficient," stated Andrei Kodjak, executive director of the International Council on Clean Transportation. "The Biden administration needs to establish standards that will promote the development of low-carbon aircraft and engines."

In the final days of the previous administration, emissions standards for new airplanes were finalized, but many states have criticized these regulations as being too lenient.

The states and the International Council on Clean Transportation are calling for the EPA to start the process of establishing new emissions rules for aircraft engines that will operate starting in 2030.

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