Plan to Regulate Airline Emissions Moves Forward in the E.U.
This post was written by Jennifer Smokelin.
The first reading report of the European Parliament (issued last November) to include airlines in the E.U.’s carbon trading scheme was approved by the members of the European Council, although in a scaled-back version. The Council’s proposal aims to start in 2012 (instead of 2011) and suggests emission levels should be capped at 100 percent of the average levels for the years 2004-2006 (thought by some to be 90 percent above 1990 levels). The degree to which permits will be issued free rather than auctioned remains to be determined. The plan still needs final approval of the European Parliament on second reading which will likely take most of 2008.
