Thu, May 08, 2008
New Administration May Be More Open To Idea
Proponents of caps on carbon dioxide
emissions from airliners flying in the European Union are eagerly
awaiting the results of the November presidential election in the
United States... as no matter who wins, they'll likely be more open
to adopting similar measures than the current administration.
EU lawmaker Peter Liese told Reuters he has spoken to advisors
for the three candidates in the US race -- and all appeared eager
to at least discuss the EU's plan, which involves a proposed cap on
greenhouse emissions, as well as controversial "carbon trading"
schemes.
"All three camps -- John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and
Barack Obama -- confirmed that any legal action by the Bush
administration would not be supported by the new president," he
said.
Proposals to adopt limits on CO2 emissions are now being drafted
in Brussels, and lawmakers are pushing for similar measures to be
adopted -- or imposed -- worldwide. Critics have accused the EU of
trying to overstep its bounds, and its borders, in calling for
global caps.
The United States is hardly the only country opposing such
measures, though it is arguably the most influential. But Liese
notes the US is also looking to cut CO2 emissions... and other
countries are also taking a hard look at sources of greenhouse
gases.
"Until a few months ago, it was very unrealistic that other
major players would link to our scheme, but times have changed," he
said.
The European Parliament will vote at the end of May to include
airliners in its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) starting in 2012,
but Liese wants even tougher standards. He wants airlines to start
paying for carbon credits a year early... and to pay for 25 percent
of their permits to emit CO2, instead of the 10 percent called for
under the current proposal.
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