Voluntary Carbon Offsets - Klimaschutz im Luftverkehr? / Voluntary carbon offsets - air transport's contribution to climate protection?

Der Markt fuer freiwillige Massnahmen zur Kompensation von Treibhausgasemissionen, so genannte Voluntary Carbon Offsets (VCO), hat sich in den vergangenen Jahren rasant entwickelt. Der Beitrag unterzieht die Idee der freiwilligen Carbon Offsets einer kritischen Wuerdigung. Nach einer kurzen Einfuehrung in die Problematik des Klimawandels und die Rolle des Luftverkehrs in diesem Kontext liegt der Schwerpunkt der Analyse auf dem Vergleich der freiwilligen Kompensationsmechanismen mit alternativen oekonomischen Instrumenten zur Internalisierung der klimarelevanten Externalitaeten. Abschliessend wird die oekonomische Sinnhaftigkeit und Anreizkompatibilitaet solcher freiwilligen Massnahmen diskutiert. ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH: As a voluntary measure to compensate for greenhouse gas emission, "Voluntary Carbon Offsets" have enjoyed growing popularity, notably so in the case of air transport. This report shows that "Voluntary Carbon Offsets" do show notable shortcomings with regard to climate policy measures based on classic and purely economic terms. Of particular concern is the transparency of the basis used for calculations, the availability of suitable projects to deal with emission compensation, and the impact of incentives for dynamic efficiency. Generally speaking, efficiency-oriented climate protection politics ought not to rely on the efficience of "Voluntary Carbon Offsets". Efforts should be directed towards more development, and the eventual adoption, of appropriate emission trading mechanisms. The inclusion of air transport - currently intended to be handled on a selective basis - in the European emission trading system is likely to burden this sector with a range of counterproductive side issues. (A)