Brussels, 28/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - After the United States, it is now China's turn to take umbrage at the fact that airlines flying to and from the EU are now obliged to make a contribution to the fight against climate change by means of the EU's emissions quota trading system (ETS). Making major operators of aircraft from third countries pay 15% of the greenhouse gas emissions quotas which will be issued to them every year, in order to bring down the level of carbon dioxide caused by the sector, has been described by Beijing as a unilateral initiative on the part of the EU. The Chinese made this statement in the wake of the decision adopted by the Commission on Tuesday, to be used as a basis for the allocation of emissions quotas free of charge in 2012, and every year from 2013 to 2020 (EUROPE 10460).
“China appreciates the European Union's efforts over climate change, but is opposed to the EU forcing the application of a unilateral legislation. Not only China, but also many other countries, are opposed to the way the European Union has gone about this”, said a spokesperson to the Chinese foreign affairs minister, quoted on 28 September by AFP.
Among the other parties protesting the move is the Air Transport Association of the United States, which has brought the matter before the Court of Justice of the EU. The case is pending, but the opinion of the Court's advocate general, anticipated for 6 October, will give an indication of the possible outcome of the dispute.
Environmental NGOs are jubilant at the fact that international aviation, which has remained on the sidelines of the fight against climate change, must now start to pay for the pollution it causes. The WWF, for example, welcomes “an important step towards putting a tariff on the sector's carbon pollution”. However, the NGO notes that more than 80% of emissions quotas will still be granted free of charge, and that the environmental benefits of the ETS legislation would be greater if the member states reinvested the revenue generated by the system in the fight against climate change, in the EU but also in the developing world, via the Green Climate Fund. (AN/transl.fl)