國際民航組織(International Civil Aviation Organization，ICAO)10月8日以190國的多數決，通過降低航空器排放溫室氣體的決議，此決議將涵括全球9成空中交通流量。
此次決議打破了10年來ICAO在溫室氣體議題上的僵局，並且註記了各國政府首次同意於各自的經濟領域上進行減排。
與會代表同意，航空業應減輕排放氣體對氣候變遷的衝擊。此次協議提供ICAO締約國到2050年的減排進度。
這些政府組織同意，國際航線的溫室氣體排放以2020年水準為上限，2020年以後則每年改善燃油效率2%直到2050年。
ICAO會議通過的其他新措施，包括，以市場導向的發展框架、建立市場導向的全球性計劃與指導原則的可行性研究、為會員國提供以市場導向的國際航空設計和實施原則。 所有這些措施將在2013年下屆大會審議。
協議的其他重點還包括，技術轉移給開發中國家的機制，並要求各國提交行動計畫給ICAO，以達成大會的目標。
該協議還包括協助各國達成他們的目標，並基於市場導向而豁免，因為非常低排放的國家，他們的交通流量很小。
歐洲在此協議上擔任指標性角色，歐盟率先通過歐盟排放交易計劃(EU Emissions Trading Scheme)納入航空業，此計畫將在2012年啟動。
歐盟的航空排放納入到他們的排放交易計劃，這將使美國航空公司主張豁免2012年起施行的歐洲法規更加困難，地球正義律師伯特(Sarah Burt)說。
美國航空業12月份在英國法院提起訴訟，反對歐盟的規定。地球正義支持國家有權採取獨立的行動，如果國際社會不願進行減低溫室氣體排放。目前，這個案子已送到歐盟司法法院。國際民航協議也支持地球正義在美國聯邦法庭上代表聯合美國環保團體所提出的聲明訴求。美國環保署可根據清潔空氣法案管理船舶和飛機的汙染，而此次訴訟便是挑戰美國環保署在行使其權力的「不合理的拖延 」。
此次ICAO大會由來自176個會員國的1588位代表以及40個國際組織參加，討論民航相關事宜。
ICAO成立於1944年，是聯合國的一個特殊組織。ICAO致力於促進全球國際民航安全以及循序漸進的發展，並為民航安全、保安、效率、法規以及航空環境保護設立標準與法規。
A majority of the 190 governments belonging to the international body that oversees civil aviation have agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft. The decision, taken Friday by the International Civil Aviation Organization, will cover 90 percent of worldwide air traffic.
The deal breaks a 10 year ICAO stalemate over greenhouse gases and marks the first time governments have agreed to reduce emissions from an individual economic sector.
The delegates adopted a comprehensive resolution to reduce the impact of aviation emissions on climate change. The agreement provides a roadmap for action through 2050 for the ICAO member states.
The governments agreed to cap greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation at 2020 levels, and to improve fuel efficiency by two percent annually to 2050.
Additional new initiatives agreed at the ICAO meeting include the development of a framework for market-based measures, a feasibility study on the creation of a global plan for market-based measures and guiding principles for member states to use when designing and implementing market-based measures for international aviation. All these initiatives will be reviewed at the next Assembly in 2013.
Other features of the agreement include mechanisms for technology transfer to developing states and a requirement for states to submit to ICAO their action plans for reaching goals set by the ICAO Assembly.
The agreement includes assistance for states to meet their objectives and exemptions from market-based measures for states with very low emissions due to their small air traffic base.
Europe played an instrumental role in securing this agreement and has taken the lead by including aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which will start in 2012.
The European Union's inclusion of aviation emissions into their Emissions Trading Scheme will make it more difficult for U.S. airlines to argue for an exemption to the European regulations, which go into force in 2012, said Earthjustice attorney Sarah Burt.
A group of U.S. airlines filed suit in a British court in December objecting to the European rules. Earthjustice has intervened in support of the right of nations to take independent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when the international community has failed to act. The case has since been transferred to the European Court of Justice.The international aviation agreement also bolsters claims brought by Earthjustice in U.S. federal court on behalf of a coalition of U.S. environmental groups.That suit challenges the EPA's "unreasonable delay" in exercising its authority to regulate climate pollution from ships and aircraft under the Clean Air Act.
The ICAO Assembly was attended by a record 1,588 participants from 176 member states and 40 international organizations involved in civil aviation.
A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection.
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