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.

FMI: www.eu.int