By Helen Massy-Beresford in London
The European parliament is divided over a proposal to create a separate emissions trading scheme (ETS) for aviation after the transport committee voted against the proposal that was passed by the parliament's environment panel. The draft resolution is now set to be put to a full vote of members of the European parliament (MEPs) on 4 July.
The parliament’s environment committee last week voted in favour of a draft resolution presented by UK Green party member Caroline Lucas proposing the evaluation of a separate emissions trading scheme for aviation emissions, which are not included in the Kyoto protocol. However, the parliament’s transport committee has voted against the resolution, which would cover all flights landing and taking off at any European Union airport.
The split between transport and environment commitees makes the outcome of the full vote impossible to predict, as MEPs tend to follow the findings of the experts that make up the committees.
The draft resolution states that “accounting would be substantially simplified by a separate, closed system”, for aviation but does not rule out the possibility of a “gateway” to allow airlines to buy credits from the wider EU ETS on a “carefully limited basis”. The resolution also emphasises that, under any emissions trading scheme, both the method of allocating credits to players in the growing aviation sector, and their ability to trade credits should be carefully monitored to avoid distorting the markets.
“Aviation has become an integral part of society. It facilitates social cohesion and cultural exchange,” the report says. “However, it cannot be ignored that emissions from aviation are growing rapidly, undermining progress in other sectors.”
Airlines are divided over whether aviation emissions should be included in the current EU ETS. Scandinavian Airlines and British Airways have expressed their support for including airlines in the scheme, while Lufthansa has warned that this could result in limited benefit and high costs.
Under the existing Europe-wide ETS, companies are given an allocation of “carbon credits” allowing them to emit carbon dioxide. Companies that emit fewer emissions than they are allocated can sell their credits to companies wanting to buy the right to emit more.
The European parliament is divided over a proposal to create a separate emissions trading scheme (ETS) for aviation after the transport committee voted against the proposal that was passed by the parliament's environment panel. The draft resolution is now set to be put to a full vote of members of the European parliament (MEPs) on 4 July.
The parliament’s environment committee last week voted in favour of a draft resolution presented by UK Green party member Caroline Lucas proposing the evaluation of a separate emissions trading scheme for aviation emissions, which are not included in the Kyoto protocol. However, the parliament’s transport committee has voted against the resolution, which would cover all flights landing and taking off at any European Union airport.
The split between transport and environment commitees makes the outcome of the full vote impossible to predict, as MEPs tend to follow the findings of the experts that make up the committees.
The draft resolution states that “accounting would be substantially simplified by a separate, closed system”, for aviation but does not rule out the possibility of a “gateway” to allow airlines to buy credits from the wider EU ETS on a “carefully limited basis”. The resolution also emphasises that, under any emissions trading scheme, both the method of allocating credits to players in the growing aviation sector, and their ability to trade credits should be carefully monitored to avoid distorting the markets.
“Aviation has become an integral part of society. It facilitates social cohesion and cultural exchange,” the report says. “However, it cannot be ignored that emissions from aviation are growing rapidly, undermining progress in other sectors.”
Airlines are divided over whether aviation emissions should be included in the current EU ETS. Scandinavian Airlines and British Airways have expressed their support for including airlines in the scheme, while Lufthansa has warned that this could result in limited benefit and high costs.
Under the existing Europe-wide ETS, companies are given an allocation of “carbon credits” allowing them to emit carbon dioxide. Companies that emit fewer emissions than they are allocated can sell their credits to companies wanting to buy the right to emit more.
Source: Flight International
