3 October 2007 - Euro-MPs on the European Parliament’s Environment Committee have voted to bring the aviation industry into the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme after Green MEP Caroline Lucas called for international agreement on reducing the increasing impact of flying on climate change.

Dr Lucas had originally called for the aviation industry to be brought into an emissions trading scheme just for airlines - a proposal accepted by the full parliament last year but weakened in the report adopted today. Dr Lucas, who represents South-East England, said:

"The Environment Committee has voted to bring the ever-growing emissions from airlines in check. While the report is not as ambitious as my original proposals, which it adopted last year, MEPs have succeeded in significantly improving a weak proposal from the European Commission. With airlines the fastest growing source of climate-damaging emissions, it is crucial that the EU adopts robust measures to reduce these emissions as soon as possible.

"Past experience shows that unless polluters are made to pay or emissions credits, sectors like aviation - which can pass the cost on to their consumers - will gain windfall profits from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Clearly only a full auctioning of permits would ensure this is avoided and that airlines are made fully responsible for their emissions; thus we regret that MEPs did not support full auctioning.

“However, the Committee has voted for auctioning of half of the emissions permits, which is certainly a marked improvement from the Commission’s proposal. Furthermore, the Committee has voted to take more account of the non-CO2 impact of aviation (which can be up to 4 times greater than the impact of CO2 emissions alone) by introducing a so-called ‘multiplier’ on CO2 emissions if alternative measures are not brought forward.

"Entry into the Emissions Trading Scheme cannot just be an excuse for the worst offending airlines to buy their way out of trouble and continue with a business as usual approach to their damaging emissions. I’m glad that MEPs have voted to limit the possibility for airlines to buy permits from other industry sectors that would allow airlines to increase their emissions. Trading with other sectors should not be manipulated by the aviation industry to enable it to pay for the ‘right’ to increase its pollution.

"Euro-MPs also proposed a significantly stricter initial permit allocation to the aviation industry than the original Commission proposal. While it is still more generous than that of other sectors or the Kyoto protocol commitment, it does at least imply an actual reduction in emissions."

The proposals will be debated and voted on by all MEPs next month. "The challenge is to keep its strengths and make sure the bill is not further diluted," added Dr Lucas.

ENDS

Note to Editors

The original EP report was drafted by Dr Lucas and adopted in June 2006, and called for a separate Emissions Trading Scheme for the aviation industry, with rigorous caps and full auctioning of permits.