Isra-Mart srl: Plan to incorporate airlines into EU emissions cuts met with indignation by US carriers

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Isra-Mart news:

European Union plans to incorporate international aviation into its carbon emissions reduction plan have been with indignation by US carriers, who have taken the EU to court.

United Continental, American Airlines and the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) are the three major players in a case with the EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

US carriers are opposed to EU plans to expand their carbon market to flights landing in, and departing from, EU airports. The plan, according to the ATA “violates international law and is bad policy”.

However, the EU has hit back. A spokesperson for the EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard called the proposal “fully consistent” with international law.

The Emissions Trading System was first introduced in 2005 and covers some 11,000 utilities and manufacturers. Under the system, those entities that produce more carbon emissions than is legally allowed, must pay a fine or buy spare emissions permits from entities that produce less than the target. Therefore, there is an economic incentive to operate within accepted limits.

“Airlines should be racing to comply with this law and deliver cleaner low-carbon travel to the flying public, instead of racing to the courthouse to try to block a reasonable and well-designed law,” said Annie Petsonk, international counsel at New-York-based climate campaign group Environmental Defence Fund.

The proposal would have extensive consequences for the aviation sector, airlines operating in Europe would become the second largest emissions sector after power generators.