Effective 1 January 2021, UK Government entered into force Ordinance to institute an emission trading scheme for the United Kingdom. UK ETS for aviation is a mandatory regulation impacting aircraft operators flying to, from and within the UK and EU region. It is designed to provide continuity with EU-ETS while funneling the reporting and offset of UK-specific aviation activities directly to the UK.
Who needs to participate in UK ETS?
UK-ETS is applicable to Commercial and Private operators. Requirements and processes are based on volume of activity against annual thresholds.
What are the thresholds for UK ETS?
Non-commercial (Private) transport threshold for full-scope flights is 1,000 tCO2 annually. Commercial air transport has a threshold of 10,000 tCO2 threshold for full-scope flights annually.
If you exceed a threshold – and at least one of these flights is a UK aviation activity flight – then you are required to comply with UK ETS monitoring, reporting, and surrender obligations.
What flights are UK ETS full-scope?
Flights that depart from, or arrive in the UK, Gibraltar, or an EEA State.
What flights are considered UK ETS Aviation Activities?
Any flight within the UK, flight to/from Gibraltar-UK, and any flight to/from EEA-UK. UK-ETS compliance requires applicable operators submit a Monitoring Plan, track flight data, filter applicable activity, compile annual reports, and if necessary, maintain a UK Registry Account to purchase and surrender Carbon Allowances.