European Aviation Emissions Scheme Draws More Flak
Opposition to the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) continued to gain airspeed and altitude last week

Opposition to the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) continued to gain airspeed and altitude last week with the addition of long-range Middle Eastern air carriers Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. Indian civil aviation authorities, which hosted a two-day meeting in New Delhi, said delegates from 26 non-EU countries agreed to lodge a formal protest before the International Civil Aviation Organization executive council against the EU plan to charge airlines for carbon emissions starting January 1. In a joint declaration released by the Indian government last Friday, the group–which includes the U.S. and China–said the EU-ETS is discriminatory and violates global laws. The International Air Transport Association said EU-ETS contravenes international law and is an attack on sovereignty. Meanwhile, three U.S. airlines have challenged the EU-ETS in European Court of Justice, which is scheduled to issue a preliminary finding on Thursday. In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives has under consideration a bill that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in EU-ETS.