A European Parliament transport committee wants to delay the inclusion of airlines in emissions trading by a year until 2012 in order to include all airlines flying intra-European and European-bound international flights at the same time. The original target date was 2011 with international flights to Europe added in 2012. The recommendation must now be considered by the lead environmental committee.
The transport committee passed a resolution limiting the number of CO2 permits airlines must acquire to 20 percent of their total allowance quota with the rest granted free. The move comes on the eve of the ICAO General Assembly in Montreal during which environmental issues will take a lead role since aviation interests around the world want ICAO to determine environmental policy rather than through piecemeal regional policies. Related Story