Archived press release

MEPs vote on EU plan to tackle aviations climate impact

13 November 2007

MEPs are being urged to support proposals to strengthen EU plans to cut aviation's contribution to climate change in a crucial vote in Strasbourg on Tuesday 13 November [1].

The EU Parliament will vote on amendments to the European Commission's plan to bring aviation emissions into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) [2]. Friends of the Earth and other NGOs are calling on the European Parliament to strengthen the proposals by voting for:

• An emissions cap of 50% of an average of 2004-2006 levels in line with other industry sectors;
• A multiplier of at least two, to be used to compensate for the additional impacts of emissions from aircraft at altitude;
• Strict limits on the number of emissions permits airlines can buy from projects in developing countries in order to incentivise emissions cuts within the EU.

Earlier this year a report by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change at Manchester University, commissioned by Friends of the Earth [3], revealed that current EU proposals would make little difference to the future growth in aviation emissions, and that the plans should be considerably strengthened. Friends of the Earth says that other measures are also required to tackle the growth in aviation's impact on climate change, such as a tax on aviation fuel [4].

Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner, Richard Dyer, said:

"Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide emissions in Europe. This vote is a crucial test of the European Parliament's commitment to tackling climate change. Earlier this year EU Ministers agreed that Europe needs to cut its emissions by 30% by 2020. This vote is the first chance for MEPs to show that Europe means business. Failure to considerably strengthen proposals to bring aviation into the European Commission's Emissions Trading Scheme will make the targets look like hot air."

"The UK government must also take action on air travel. Britain must include international aviation emissions in its proposals for a new law to cut carbon dioxide emissions, freeze its airport expansion plans, improve high-speed rail services and do more to make the cost of flying reflect the damage that it causes to our environment."

The current aviation/ EU ETS plan is the first piece of new climate legislation since EU Ministers agreed that the EU needs to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020 in order to avoid catastrophic climate change [5]. A strong scheme would send a clear signal that the EU means business in the run up to the UNFCCC talks taking place in Bali this December [6].

Notes

1. MEPs are expected to vote on amendments to the Commission's proposal early afternoon on Tuesday 13. They will consider amendments proposed in the Environment Committee's report (the Liese report) and others put down since.

The European Parliament's Environment Committee voted in September 2007 to substantially strengthen the Commission's proposal (the Liese report), however this was still much weaker than earlier proposals (the Lucas Report) that Parliament voted for in July 2006.

Liese report

Lucas report

After the MEPs vote the proposal goes to the EU Council of Environment Ministers meeting in December. In 2008, Parliament and Council consider the legislation again (2^nd reading).

3. www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
scientists_warn_that_eu_pl_03092007.html

4. A position statement on the key improvements to the aviation ETS proposal that a coalition of environmental groups including Friends of the Earth want to see is available at:- www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/aviation_in_the_euets.pdf (PDF† )

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust