ps: Airlines already gearing up to fight proposals , see report in the Independent- July 3rd.

Airlines ready for dogfight over EU's plan for cleaner, greener skies.

 http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1811927,00.html


NEWS RELEASE
> >From the office of the South-East England’s Green MEP Caroline Lucas
>
>
>July 4th,
>2006
>
>
>AIRLINES REELING AFTER EU CLIMATE CHANGE VOTE
>
>MEPs ADOPT GREEN PROPOSALS TO CUT FLYING’S IMPACT ON CLIMATE
>
>AIRLINES have been left reeling after a vote in the European Parliament
>called for a raft of measures to tackle their growing contribution to
>climate change.
>
>Euro-MPs in Strasbourg voted by 439 to 74 to adopt proposals drafted by
>Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas to introduce a range of measures including an
>airlines-only CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme and emissions charges to tackle
>their non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. There were 102 abstentions.
>
>Dr Lucas told fellow MEPs the EU must take action to curb airlines’
>greenhouse gas emissions if we are to stand any chance of avoiding
>devastating climate change: “Doing nothing just isn’t an option”.
>
>"The aviation sector is growing fast ­ aircraft movements are predicted to
>double by 2020 and triple by 2030 - and technological efficiency gains just
>aren't enough to counteract the massive increases in emissions that this
>will generate.
>
>“We simply have no choice but to clip the airlines' wings and force them to
>reduce their impact on the climate, if we are to stand any chance of cutting
>our emissions by the level that’s needed to halt the deadly march of climate
>change.
>
>"Airlines currently enjoy a complex array of tax breaks and hidden subsidies
>- worth more than £9 billion in the UK alone - which are long outdated and
>totally incompatible with global climate goals. International progress on
>removing these and getting the industry to pay its way has been pitifully
>slow, which is why we must ensure the EU really paves the way for global
>action by introducing the most effective legislation possible.
>
> “Emissions trading has the potential to play a role in reducing the climate
>change impact of aviation - but only if it is accompanied by other measures
>to tackle the fact that aircraft emissions are two to four times more potent
>than those from other industries (because of the altitude at which they are
>emitted, and the effects of non-CO2 emissions like condensation trails and
>nitrogen oxides) ­ and, crucially, only if it doesn’t allow airlines to
>carry on business as usual by gobbling up the emission rights of other
>sectors.”
>
>MEPs have been intensively lobbied by the airlines in recent weeks ­ with
>most calling for air travel to be included in the EU’s existing Emissions
>Trading Scheme: a measure which will do little to deter airlines’ future
>emissions growth. Even Andrew Sentance, BA’s head of environmental affairs,
>openly admitted as much last week.
>
>Dr Lucas’s report will now form the Parliament’s submission to the EU
>Commission’s forthcoming legislative proposals ­ which could be on the EU
>statute book by 2008.
>
>“At a time when few now deny the urgency of addressing climate change, the
>rapid growth in flying threatens to throw all efforts to reduce dangerous
>emissions off course,” added Dr Lucas, who is also an MEP for South-East
>England and Green Party Principal Speaker.
>
>“We must work together to find ways of making the aviation industry reduce
>its social and environmental impact, rather than draining tax payers’ cash
>as it continues to generate pollution, noise, congestion ­ and climate
>change.”
>
>ENDS
>
>Note to Editors: A copy of the report, as adopted in plenary on Tuesday,
>July 4th can be downloaded from www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk, or on request
>from Ben.
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