Are Air Quotas a good way to reduce air traffic? [ rename ][ ]

This article aims to expose all the pros and cons of the debate “Are Air Quotas a good way to reduce air traffic?”, to allow everyone to form a critical and informed opinion. Further reading: Founding Principles

This debate is under construction The debates under construction are the debates that contain at least: a coherent plan; the most well-known “for” and “against” arguments; a beginning of writing. Unlike constructed debates, it may lack: arguments, justifications, objections; an accomplished introduction, an adequate bibliography, webliography or videography. . Arguments are missing or not written. The introduction and bibliography need improvement. Feel free to complete them.

PROS Ensures that traffic cap targets are met Allows flexibility to exceed allowances Rewards those who fly less than their quota Incentivises airlines to reduce their CO2 emissions Develops environmental awareness Could be extended to all carbon products and services More effective than taxes Better than capping traffic

CONS Restricts freedom to travel Allows wealthy frequent flyers to keep on flying May create a desire to fly Cannot account for all the flights of an individual unless the system is global Complex Prone to fraud Requires collecting confidential personal data Lawmakers may set poor "mechanism details" initially or later Normalizes flying, in an insufficient response to climate emergency

Keywords: aviation, climate.

To understand the debate

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Definition

Air Quotas is a carbon rationing system relative to commercial aviation under which CO2 emissions allowances would be allocated to individuals on an equal per capita basis. Individuals then surrender these allowances when booking flights. Individuals wanting or needing to travel more than permitted by their initial allocation would be able to purchase additional allowances from those flying less or not at all, rewarding those individuals.

Context

Decarbonisation of aviation can't be achieved early enough to meet climate objectives without a reduction of air traffic. The Air Quotas mechanism guarantees the reduction of greenhouse gases by rationing the rich and rewarding the most modest.
It is designed as a test of a general individual carbon accounting system applicable to all products and services.

System scope

• The system would be applicable to all European citizens (but ideally, it should be global).
• The system would be applicable to all commercial flights departing from or arriving in an European country.
• People traveling for professional purposes would need to buy allowances.
• Non European citizens would have to purchase allowances when they fly to Europe when they buy the ticket in the EU.

Details of the mechanism

• For the first year, 500 Ͼ (aircraft carbon allowances) would be distributed to each European adult.
• Allowances would be valid for one year.
• Individuals willing to fly further than the distance allowed would be able to borrow allowances (spend their future allowances in advance).
• The number of allowances would be reduced every year by 6%.
• Minors would receive less allowances than adults.
• Offsets would not be counted as a CO2 reduction
• So called SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuels) would not be entitled to reduce the carbon footprint of a flight.
• There would be a market of unused allowances. Their price will vary according to supply and demand.

System management

The allowances would be administered by national independant carbon agencies.

Promoters

Air Quotas is promoted by a network of French associations, as an attempt to introduce a more comprehensive system that would ration all carbon containing goods and services.

See also: Personal carbon trading on Wikipedia [ edit ]

Pros

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What are the pros of Air Quotas?

• Ensures that traffic cap targets are met
• Allows flexibility to exceed allowances
• Rewards those who fly less than their quota
• Incentivises airlines to reduce their CO2 emissions
• Develops environmental awareness
• Could be extended to all carbon products and services
• More effective than taxes
• Better than capping traffic

Cons

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What are the cons of Air Quotas?

• Restricts freedom to travel
• Allows wealthy frequent flyers to keep on flying
• May create a desire to fly
• Cannot account for all the flights of an individual unless the system is global
• Complex
• Prone to fraud
• Requires collecting confidential personal data
• Lawmakers may set poor "mechanism details" initially or later
• Normalizes flying, in an insufficient response to climate emergency

To go further

Bibliography

“Pro” side

• Pierre-Henri Bono, Alain Trannoy, “Le Mécanisme Troc Carbone Avion (TCA)”, Revue d'économie politique, 134, n°2024/4.
• Christophe DEVAUX, Le compte carbone, BookEdition.

“Con” side

No references have been entered yet.

Neither “pro” nor “con”

No references have been entered yet.

Webliography

“Pro” side

• Official website, Air Quotas.

“Con” side

No references have been entered yet.

Neither “pro” nor “con”

No references have been entered yet.

Videography

“Pro” side

• From CarbonAccount.eu to Air-Quotas.eu, how to convince european Commission to act, Compte Carbone.

“Con” side

No references have been entered yet.

Neither “pro” nor “con”

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