The European Parliament moved to bolster the European Commission's original plan to include aviation in the European Union emissions trading scheme after adopting a first-reading report earlier this month.
The move follows parliament's receipt of reports from transport and environment committees under the "enhanced procedures" that apply to this proposal to give a more balanced weighting to the committees' opinions.
On the basis of those reports, MEPs meeting in plenary session voted to reduce the number of authorised CO2 emissions for aviation to 90% of airlines' average annual emissions during 2004-6, rather than the EC's originally proposed cap of 100%. MEPs also backed more ambitious emission reductions in future depending on the post-2012 target reductions in overall CO2 emissions Europe sets itself.
MEPs also decided that an initial 25% of permits should be auctioned, with revenues earmarked for research, support for alternative transport modes and to help the EU and third countries manage the impact of climate change.
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MEPs voted to reduce the number of authorised CO2 emissions |
They disagreed, however, with the EC proposal that the scheme initially covers intra-EU flights from 2011, before extending to international flights from 2012, voting that all flights from EU airports should be covered by 2011.
The idea to include international flights in the scheme from one unified date was shared by the environment and transport committees, although they disagreed on the date: 2010 with a baseline reference period of 2004-6 or 2012 with a baseline reference period of 2008-10. Even though the environment committee demanded that non-EU airlines fall in line in 2010 - two years before the EC had proposed - environmental pressure groups accused committee members of taking a "step backwards".
João Vieira from pressure group Transport & Environment (T&E) says of the environment committee's report: "The vote represents a step back from a resolution by the Parliament in July 2006 that said the sector should cut emissions in line with Kyoto Protocol targets. It's reassuring that MEPs have strengthened the EC's proposal, but they haven't gone far enough in tackling rising emissions from the sector."
Committee members also opted for a more stringent cap of 75% and decided an initial figure of 50% on permits to be auctioned. Environment committee rapporteur Dr Peter Liese says: "Whatever benchmark we adopt, we punish one business model and reward another, so we will only have a high level of fairness with a high level of auctioning."
T&E is satisfied with the environment committee's decision that until an EC-commissioned study on the climate effects of nitrogen oxide emissions is presented, sector CO2 emissions should be subject to a two-times multiplier - and the Parliament meeting in plenary session agreed.
But the European Regions Airline Association attacked this committee's proposals, saying it will increase the cost of emissions trading to the airline industry by more than 400% compared with the EC's original proposal.
Mike Ambrose, ERA director general, says: "The EC's original proposal had weaknesses, but was supported by an impact assessment of sorts. The amendments proposed, however, have been made without even a simple impact assessment. Most MEPs who voted would have had no idea of the severe economic, social or even environmental consequences of their actions."
The Council of Environmental Ministers, as joint legislator with Parliament in a co-decision process, will now decide its position on these amendments. If it rejects any or adds its own, the text will go to Parliament for a second reading.
"This vote reflects political compromises more than it does the reality of the environmental challenge," says Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus of the Association of European Airlines. "This vote is only one step in the legislative process. Airlines are now pinning their hopes on council, which is to meet on 20 December."
Source: Flight International
