MEPs water down aviation emissions scheme

As the dust settles following the ICAO / EU battle over aviation emissions, news reaches us that MEPs have significantly retreated from ordering significant cuts in CO2 from aircraft.

After talking big about how the Emissions Trading Scheme would dramatically reduce emissions, the EU has decided to reduce the sector's output to 66% above 1990 levels - a far cry from the Kyoto targets originally proposed. They are also planning to give away 50% of the credits, potentially providing a huge bonus to industry coffers.

João Vieira, from the European federation of Transport & Environment dismissed the latest proposals: "A year ago MEPs were talking big on tackling aviation emissions, but today they have taken a step back from that commitment. It seems that it's one rule for the most polluting form of transport on the planet, and another for everyone else."

The Parliament did however vote to use a radiative forcing multiplier, meaning that the scheme could cover the full extent of the damage being wrought to the atmosphere.

Ultimately, a scheme which gives companies 50% of their emissions for free, and then lets them emit at two-thirds above 1990 levels is not going to solve aviation's contribution to climate change. Until that happens, the ETS willl be just an inadequate excuse for doing nothing...