Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: In 2022-24, AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) has high engagement with both negative and positive positioning on climate policy. The organization appears to advocate for EU regulations mandating sustainable aviation fuels, while opposing the full inclusion of aviation in the non-CO2 monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) framework under the EU ETS Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: In 2022-24, ASD consistently supported net-zero emissions in aviation by 2050, including in an EU consultation submitted in July 2024. Through its participation in 'Destination 2050', a collaboration between European aviation industry associations, ASD supported net-zero CO2 emissions from aviation, as declared on their Website, accessed in September 2024 However, according to a July 2024 Press Release, ASD signed the Antwerp Declaration, which advocated against prescriptive regulations following the EU Green Deal targets and emphasized the importance of ensuring international competitiveness. ASD appeared to support the Paris Agreement on their Website accessed in September 2024.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: In a June 2023 Consultation Response to ASD supported certain measures that would increase the stringency of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) post-2030, but opposed the extension to non-CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industrial processes. In a May 2024 Joint letter to DG MOVE, accessed via freedom of information request, ASD advocated to weaken the non-CO2 monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) framework under the EU ETS by advocating for a phased approach that only requires airlines to report on what they can 'usefully contribute' until 2027. Finally, in its Feedback on the EU ETS non-CO2 MRV submitted in July 2024, ASD advocated for a 2026 review before the extension of the framework to extra-EEA flights.
In June 2023 Feedback to the 2040 Climate Target, ASD appeared to support a carbon border adjustment mechanism, energy efficiency legislation and policies supporting product recycling as well as an EU 2040 GHG emissions reductions target of 75 to 80% compared to 1990 levels, in line with the average trajectory of emissions reductions reliant on carbon removals.
Regarding the EU Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate, ASD supported the ReFuelEU Directive on their Corporate Website accessed in September 2024. ASD further defended that position through Destination 2050 which published press releases in April, June and September 2023 supporting the EU SAF mandate and additional policies incentivizing the production and uptake of SAFs globally. The President of the association, Guillaume Faury, supported the policies incentivizing the uptake of SAFs, including the US SAF blenders tax credit in a June 2023 Joint statement.
Positioning on Energy Transition: In 2022-24 ASD engaged positively with the energy transition in the EU. In its June 2023 Feedback on the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), ASD advocated for the inclusion of SAF, liquid hydrogen, CCU and CCS under the 'strategic net-zero' technologies of the NZIA. ASD supported an increase in renewable and nuclear energy, hydrogen produced in a 'carbon-neutral' manner, and biofuels alongside an increase use of SAF, and hydrogen and hybrid-electric powered aircraft in a June 2024 EU consultation. The President of ASD, Guillaume Faury, also supported the increased use of hydrogen in aviation out disclosing a position on the need to decarbonize hydrogen production in a September 2024 Bloomberg Interview.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q3 2024.