Hungarocontrol outlines policy challenges to achieving climate goals at Vilnius workshop

The September 2021 inter-FAB “Climate change and the role of air traffic control” research workshop (https://www.fabec.eu/topics/climate-change), hosted by Vilnius Technical University in Lithuania, brought together air traffic management (ATM) experts and policy leaders from throughout Europe and featured a presentation by FAB CE partner HungaroControl.  

The paper outlined the urgent need for a paradigm shift in policy-making if the European Commission’s Green Deal targets are to be met. According to HungaroControl strategic analysts Mira Bognár and György Lovas, some of the outstanding policy issues which will need to be addressed if the targets are to be met include real enforcement of decreasing emissions, treating emissions as a commodity, understanding non-CO2 emissions and effects, developing realistic targets and expectations from technology, while identifying stakeholder responsibilities and performance interdependencies.

The paper’s authors suggested a possible solution for policy makers to adopt based on four available instruments: restricting emissions, developing new technologies, introducing new economic maeasures and sharing information (see graphic above).

„It would be essential to establish governance mechanisms which include legal responsibilities for achieving policy objectives and executing enforcement measures,” said the paper presenters. The authors were also referring to existing general principles of EU law, such as the „polluter pays” and the „precautionary principle”, which should also be used when developing a regulatory framework addressing the challenges we are facing.