Aviation fuel to undermine pledge on global warming - Liz Lynne
November 23, 2005 3:55 PM
Liz Lynne, Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands, has expressed her concern at
the devastating cost of tax-free fuel for airlines on global warming.
Aviation fuel is currently untaxed, despite the growing evidence that it
is undermining international efforts to reduce the damaging gases that
cause global warming.
Speaking in Brussels today, Liz commented:
"We need to do something about this now, not next year. Global warming is
a serious problem, which not only threatens the environment of the future,
but that which surrounds us today.
"There is no alternative but to address the issue directly and tax
aviation fuel. We simply cannot sign up to the Kyoto agreement and then
knowingly refrain from implementing tax on such a major contributor of
greenhouse gases, which will almost certainly result in us missing the
target."
On current trends, the European Commission says that aviation emissions
"will become a major contributor" of greenhouse gases.
Rather than tax the fuel, the European Commission is preparing to include
it in the trading scheme for harmful emissions that cause global warming,
and will be tabling legislation next year.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
A European Commission report reveals that if the current rate of growth in
air travel continues, it will result in a 150 per cent increase in
emissions from international flights from EU airports by 2012, which will
offset more than a quarter of the reductions required under the European
Union's agreed Kyoto target.
Information on the environmental cost of air travel can be found on the
air travel calculator at www.chooseclimate.org and United Nations
Environment Programme
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