Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




AEROSPACE
US, allies renew opposition to EU airline tax
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Aug 1, 2012


The United States and 16 other nations Wednesday renewed their "strong opposition" to a controversial EU carbon tax on airlines, vowing to work for a multilateral global solution.

The meeting hosted in Washington with 16 other countries was called to explore ideas for a global solution to address greenhouse gases stemming from the aviation industry, among emissions blamed for climate change.

A carbon tax, or emissions trading scheme (ETS), was imposed on airlines by the European Union on January 1, but carriers will begin receiving bills only in 2013 after this year's carbon emissions have been assessed.

The United States, and other nations, have objected to the unilateral EU action although they agree a global policy is needed to address the issue.

"In a nutshell the meeting confirmed... the very solid and strong opposition to the ETS as applied to foreign carriers," a top administration official said.

The US aviation trade organization, Airlines for America, has also rejected the EU move, saying US airlines would be charged a tax on the total flight, even if only a portion of it was over EU airspace.

"The funds collected do not have to be used for environmental purposes and in fact can be used to stave off Europe's debt crisis," the body said in a statement.

The two-day US-hosted talks brought together representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

The group now intends to work through the International Civil Aviation Organization towards drawing up a comprehensive scheme for all nations.

The next steps include working on a carbon dioxide efficiency standard for aircraft and engines, and to explore the feasibility of whether a single global market measure like an off-setting scheme would work, the US official said.

He said the talks, which were led by the US special envoy for climate change Todd Stern, had been a "useful and candid conversation" and the EU had been informed "in a very broad sense of what transpired in the meeting."

Despite the opposition to the EU's unilateral move, a lot of countries were open to or already implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the official said.

But he warned it was "going to be a substantial period of time" before any global measure or a cap-and-trade scheme might be adopted.

The EU has said the tax will help it cut carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and has insisted it will not back down on the plan.

It says the cost for the airlines is manageable, calculating that the scheme could force the carriers to add between 4.0 euros ($5.50) and 24 euros to the price of a long-haul round-trip.

However, a bill is currently making its way through the US Congress which would bar US carriers from participating in the scheme.

.


Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








AEROSPACE
Boeing Integrates Next-Gen Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System on Silent Eagle
St. Louis MO (SPX) Aug 01, 2012
Boeing recently validated the integration of the next-generation Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II/h (JHMCS II/h) on the company's F-15 Silent Eagle demonstrator aircraft, continuing the on-schedule development of this advanced multi-role jet fighter. The JHMCS II/h allows a pilot to aim sensors and weapons wherever he or she is looking, through the use of new head-tracking technology ... read more


AEROSPACE
US flags still on the moon, except one: NASA

Another Small Step for Mankind

Russia starts building Moon spaceship, eyes Lunar base

Plans to revisit Moon impeded by financial difficulties

AEROSPACE
Stretching Our Robotic Reach On Mars

Successes and failures in past Mars attempts

Strange but True: Curiosity's Sky Crane

NASA braces for 'terror' in Mars landing

AEROSPACE
NASA Goddard's Innovation Lab: Creating a Future

Space tourism seen as billion-dollar biz

NASA to Announce New Agreements for Next Phase of Commercial Crew Development

Science fiction comes to life in Italian lab

AEROSPACE
China's Long March-5 carrier rocket engine undergoes testing

China to land first moon probe next year

China launches Third satellite in its global data relay network

Looking Forward to Shenzhou 10

AEROSPACE
Microgravity Science Glovebox Marks Anniversary with 'Hands' on the Future

Russia Launches Space Freighter to Orbital Station

A Fish Friendly Facility for the ISS

Russian cargo ship manages to dock at ISS on second try

AEROSPACE
Ariane rocket with two telecom satellites lifts off

Ariane 5 moves to the launch zone for Arianespace's next heavy-lift flight

The go-ahead is given for Arianespace's August 2 flight with Ariane 5

Initial assembly is completed for Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 to be launched in 2012

AEROSPACE
RIT Leads Development of Next-generation Infrared Detectors

UCF Discovers Exoplanet Neighbor

Can Astronomers Detect Exoplanet Oceans

The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Dust

AEROSPACE
From Microns to Centimeters

Raytheon awarded contract to advance Dual Band Radar development

Apple extends gains in surging tablet market: survey

Apple asks for verdict after Samsung 'misconduct'




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement