Up, up and away
The EU is pushing ahead with plans to bring airlines into the carbon emissions trading scheme, according to Fiona Harvey in the Financial Times (2006-08-01):
The European Commission will decide this autumn how soon aviation can reasonably be brought within the scheme. The first phase of the scheme ends next year, and the second will run from 2008 to 2012.
Stavros Dimas, environment commissioner, has said he does not think aviation can be included in time for the start of the second phase and that 2010 would be a more feasible date. However, some predict this will slip to 2012.
There are still key questions to be answered before the Commission makes its decision. For instance, will the scheme apply to all flights originating and terminating in the EU, or only on flights between member states? And how will emissions from these flights be measured? Will there be restrictions on other pollutants from aircraft, such as nitrogen oxides?
Some green campaigners also argue aviation emissions do greater harm than other sources, which should be taken into account. Aircraft produce carbon dioxide, from burning fuel, but also water vapour - seen in condensation trails - which is another potent greenhouse gas. When these gases are released at high altitude, they are thought to have a much greater warming effect on the climate than when they are released closer to the earth.
But it may be too complex to adjust for these factors, in which case aviation emissions would be judged in the same way as those from earthbound industries.