VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #0942/01 1371236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161236Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3045
INFO RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PARIS 000942 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR STATE EB/TRA (BYERLY, WALKLET-TIEGE), OES, EUR/WE 
FAA FOR CBURLESON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD SENV FR
SUBJECT:  FRANCE: AVIATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT: FOLLOW-UP ON 
EMISSIONS AND NOISE 
 
REF: STATE 24750 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU):  Following last fall's Grenelle environmental 
consultation France adopted a number of measures to fight greenhouse 
gases and noise from aviation.  As they prepare to assume the EU 
presidency, in spite of some misgivings the French appear ready to 
follow an EU consensus toward adoption of ETS and on applying it to 
foreign carriers.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
The Grenelle Consultation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Recent environmental measures affecting aviation in France 
have largely followed from last fall's Grenelle Environmental 
Consultation between government, NGOs and industrial stakeholders. 
A number of goals were identified, including reducing CO2 emissions 
and their impact on climate change, reducing NOx emissions and 
improving the air quality around airports, and aviation 
noise-reduction. The Grenelle called for an intensified program of 
research, modernization of aircraft fleets, improved performance of 
merchant aviation, adoption of the EU's ETS system, improved Air 
Navigation systems, more environmentally efficient airports, and 
increased soundproofing of lodgings near airports. 
 
¶3. (SBU) These were codified in a series of "engagements" and 
resulted in a Convention which was signed with great fanfare on 
Monday 28 January. Signatories included the Minister of Ecology and 
Sustainable Development Jean-Louis Borloo, the French Civil Aviation 
Administration (DGAC), and industry stakeholders including Air 
France-KLM, The Merchant Aviation National Federation (FNAM), the 
Paris Airport Authority (ADP), the French Aerospace Industries 
Association (GIFAS), and the Union of French Airports.  The measures 
with the most significant impact were a pledge to support adoption 
of the EU's Emissions Trading scheme, which at least one U.S. 
carrier (FEDEX) objected to indirectly supporting via its membership 
FNAM, and increased charges for evening and nighttime takeoffs 
destined to finance soundproofing. This cable follows up on these 
and related issues based on recent discussions with French 
transportation officials. 
 
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ETS 
--- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Director General of Civil Aviation Paul Gandil told us 
France had a "pragmatic" and "nuanced" approach to EU policymaking 
on ETS.  It supported the system, but believed bilateral 
negotiations would be necessary to apply it to international 
flights.  France hoped these could be linked to discussions within 
ICAO.  He noted however that this was not a majority view within the 
EU, either in the Council or Parliament, where differences between 
proposed texts remained and discussions about "equivalence" with 
other systems continued.  As President of the Council when the 
legislation would probably be finally adopted, France would likely 
follow majority opinion.  Michel Wachenheim, Chief of Staff to 
Minister of State for Transportation Dominique Bussereau echoed 
these views, telling us that though ETS represented an advance for 
EU policy, France believed that it would be legally difficult to 
integrate foreign flights into the system without prior bilateral 
agreement.  He also stressed that this was a French view, and did 
not represent that of the EU Council. 
 
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GIACC 
----- 
 
¶5. (SBU) DGAC officials have also told us France remains engaged in 
the ICAO Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (GIACC) 
process in a "constructive" spirit.  They believe a change in the 
U.S. position is needed to make revision of the ETS legislation more 
likely, and are hopeful that this will occur in 2009.  Paul Schwach, 
who represented France at GIACC, told the FAA rep in April that that 
there is a real "will" within Europe to find a solution, 
particularly though recognition of Article 25 equivalent systems and 
other compensating factors. He said that if other countries were to 
adopt a system (such as Australia is now looking at) they would be 
would be willing to "adapt" ETS.  He even seemed open to the idea of 
including "mutual consent" wording into the text. Schwach felt that 
it was likely ETS legislation would be enacted under the French 
Presidency, and that this would facilitate the integration of the 
GIACC activities with EU legislation. 
 
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Noise 
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¶6. (SBU) Last October's Grenelle environmental consultation also 
adopted a number of measures to combat noise. Specific measures 
adopted involved raising the altitude on approach, experimenting 
with CDA at Orly airport on some selected Air France flights, and 
higher charges for take-offs in the evening and nighttime hours that 
are used to finance soundproofing of houses near airports. The 
latter entered into force January 1. Transportation officials with 
whom we have discussed these measures appear largely satisfied with 
the results.  Noting that France had increased traffic yet decreased 
noise at Charles De Gaulle since 1999, DGAC Gandil dismissed a 
recent report critical of French progress in noise-reduction, saying 
that one reason aviation had not confronted stricter measures at the 
Grenelle was the "credibility" that this history brought it.  He 
said that the increased charges for evening and night take-offs 
brought France in to conformity with international practice, and 
would allow it to catch up with a two year backlog in soundproofing 
homes at a number of French airports. 
 
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Comment 
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¶7. (SBU) French officials are on the whole pleased with the process 
and results of last fall's environmental consultation, in which they 
enrolled industry support-particularly from Air France-for ETS, and 
struck a preemptive blow against growing pressures from the public 
and green organizations for more environmental regulation of noise 
and other forms of airport pollution.  Though they clearly have 
doubts about the EU's position of unilaterally applying ETS to 
foreign carriers, they are likely to follow the consensus view from 
the EU, if it seeks to push ahead with final adoption of the 
legislation in the second half of 2009.  They remain willing to 
engage in discussions at ICAO.  Hopes that a new U.S. administration 
will adopt some ETS "equivalent" system in 2009 seem above all to 
show the lack of any firm ideas about how to lead the EU out of its 
current impasse.