Air Transport Association Sues To Halt EU ETS
greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme (ETS).
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. It is the first legal action
brought by U.S airlines in a European court to halt the inclusion of international
aviation in the ETS. "We brought this action in order to preserve our members’
rights to challenge the implementation of the EU ETS as applied to aviation,"
said ATA spokeswoman Victoria Day.
trading by the EU. Citing strong international opposition to the ETS, Nancy Young,
ATA VP-environmental affairs, said, "Virtually all non-EU states continue to oppose
the unilateral application of the EU ETS to non-EU airlines." Airlines are calling for a global, sector-focused approach to mitigating greenhouse
gas emissions from aviation. "ICAO continues to be the appropriate United Nations
body for establishing climate change targets and measures for aviation."
the carbon emitted during the entire distance of flights that land or take off
from the EU. Airlines object to the plan, arguing that on a flight from Los Angeles
to London, for example, the majority of the emissions would occur outside EU airspace.
down airline GHG emissions, at least until a global solution to the problem is
reached. Reacting to today’s lawsuit, an EU official told The DAILY on condition
of anonymity, "The [European] Commission regrets the action by the U.S. airlines as it considers
emissions trading represents the best solution for the aviation sector to mitigate
its climate impacts in the most cost-effective manner."
interpretive ruling."
change talks in Copenhagen, which underscore the need for "all business sectors
– including airlines – to start working together toward operating in a low-carbon
economy."
to acknowledge their corporate responsibility to reduce emissions," the EU official
said.
What’s wrong with the ETS?
settled in July 2008, with some minor changes coming out of the Climate and Energy
Package in December.
emissions. AEF disagrees, and has produced a two-page summary of