AVIATION EMISSIONS: AUSTRIA STONGLY FAVORS

UNCLAS VIENNA 000253 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON SENV AU SUBJECT: AVIATION EMISSIONS: AUSTRIA STONGLY FAVORS INCLUSION IN ETS REF: A) STATE 4858 B) 06 VIENNA 3470 ¶1. Following up on ref B demarche, Econ Unit Chief delivered ref A points on January 23 to Dieter Gaupmann, Acting Director of the Ministry of Transportation's Air Transport Division, and on January 31 to Katharina Wieser, Head of the MFA's Environment and Sustainable Development Unit. Gaupmann admitted that the Austrian airline industry, the Vienna International Airport, and the MoT all have concerns with the proposal to include aviation emissions in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). In particular, there is concern the proposal could encourage non-EU carriers to circumvent European airports on flights to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Gaupmann said the question was really how to move towards some type of reduction on a worldwide, non-discriminatory basis. ¶2. Gaupmann noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoEnv) has the lead on this issue and that the MoEnv strong supports including aviation emissions in the ETS (ref B). He added that the GoA is under a lot of pressure to respond to the public's demand to "do something" about increasing aviation emissions. (Note: The new GoA's program contains a reference to including aviation emissions in the ETS and Environment Minister Josef Proell recently pointed to Austria's position on this issue as a major success for his ministry. End Note.). MCCAW