Senate passes bill to shield US airlines from EU carbon-emissions law
Source: Guardian
The US Senate unanimously passed a bill on Saturday that would shield US airlines from paying for their carbon emissions on European flights, pressuring the European Union to back down from applying its emissions law to foreign carriers.
Since January, the European Commission has been enforcing its law to make all airlines take part in its Emissions Trading Scheme, which aims to combat global warming.
The Senate approved the bill shortly after midnight, as it scrambled to complete business to recess ahead of the 6 November congressional and presidential elections.
Republican senator John Thune, a sponsor of the measure, said it sent a "strong message" to the EU that it cannot impose taxes on the United States.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/22/senate-bill-us-airlines-eu-carbon-emissions-laws
China, the world's biggest carbon dioxide emitter, has struck a deal to work with the European Union to cut greenhouse gases through projects including the development of Chinese emissions trading schemes, the European Commission said on Thursday.
The European Union and China have frequently clashed over climate policy and Beijing has flouted EU law requiring all airlines using European airports to pay for their emissions through the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
At the same time, the two sides have maintained an uneasy dialogue, including an EU-China summit in Brussels this week.
EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Chen Deming, the Chinese commerce minister, signed a financing deal promoting the transition "towards a low-carbon economy and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in China", the Commission said in a statement.
http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/forums/china-eu-agree-deal-over-carbon-emissions-88244.aspx
Doubtless the US will do a deal too unless they don't want to use EU airspace.
Smilo
(1,944 posts)I have news for Thune and his bullies - the USA is not the world and the world is not the USA and is not beholden to the USA.
Ignorance and arrogance will not get America far in this world, in fact it will get them nowhere. Climate change is happening and affecting everyone on the globe - we need to take action and help ourselves and everyone else by strengthening and enforcing lower emissions/pollution.
on point
(2,506 posts)RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)35,000 feet high and burning tons of jet fuel. Up high in the atmosphere. Up high where there is nothing to absorb the co2. Where all the co2 does is absorb heat from the sun. Hmmmm, what could possibly go wrong with that?
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)Thousands and thousands of flights, every day, every night...up in the highest of altitudes, spewing out super heat. THAT is a problem that no one wants to talk about. And even if you can't see the fumes like you used to, the fumes are there.
Oh, not to mention that every time you fly, you are getting radiated...and that there is a lot of cancer among pilots and flight attendants.
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Its EU airspace.