EU’s Carbon Market for Aviation Industry Will Include U.S. Airlines

In July, the European Union (EU) voted to regulate the airline industry under a carbon cap-and-trade system. The scheme will start in 2012, and will regulate all international flights landing in EU countries. Next month the EU will release the baseline it will use to cap carbon emissions. According to the New York Times, “…sources say the commission initially arrived at a figure north of 200 million tons of carbon dioxide.”

Although the EU has not yet released the list of airlines that will be subject to the cap-and-trade system, the preliminary list included over 700 airlines registered in the U.S. out of about a total of 2,800. Small airlines are expected to be weeded out, but all large U.S. airlines expect to be on the finalized list.

Starting in 2012 the total aviation emissions will be capped at 97 percent of the baseline and fall to 95 percent in 2012. Eighty-five percent of allowances will be granted freely, and the rest auctioned off. Airlines will be able to buy as many allowances as they want.

The International Air Transport Association estimated that the scheme will cost the global aviation industry $5.5 billion. According to the European Commission’s impact statement, by 2020 ticket prices could increase $7 to $62 for each return destination.

Praise and criticism for scheme

Environmental policy expert at the European Commission, Philip Good pointed out that the aviation industry was not included in the Kyoto Protocol. “Aviation is a part of the economy that traditionally has been outside the scope of climate policies,” Good said. “Bringing aviation into the [scheme] normalizes the situation.”

The EU is “providing a model that the rest of the world could choose to implement,” Good added. “Once developed, similar mechanisms could be linked together to give global coverage of aviation emissions.”

“The E.U. action is quite crucial,” said Martin Staniland, professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. “It has provided a model. Whether anyone will adopt that model, I don’t know.”

“The EU’s unilateral grab of power over U.S. and other non-EU airlines wherever they are in the world is a clear violation of the Chicago Convention,” said James May, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association. “The EU decision to move forward with this legislation is sure to spawn a legal challenge.”

“Emissions trading will increase cost pressure on airlines. They will look to pass on at least some of this cost to passengers”, said Andreas Arvanitakis, co-author of a report by Point Carbon on the scheme. According to the report, American airlines will face the largest bill.

“The American carriers in the scheme will be the first sector in the US to be drawn into mandatory international emissions trading, even though it is implemented by the EU,” Arvanitakis said. “This comes just as an emissions trading bill is being considered by Congress and the Administration is engaging in international climate negotiations.”

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Renee L.

8:55AM PDT on Aug 30, 2009

3. Polar Bears Refute Al Gore's Warnings

The polar bears that climate change alarmists claim are endangered by global warming are doing just fine, thank you.

Al Gore and other alarmists have warned that higher global temperatures due to greenhouse gases could lead to the melting of the polar ice caps. That would threaten the polar bears' efforts to find food and survive.

But due to colder than usual subarctic weather this year, healthier polar bears are being spotted along the Hudson Bay coast in Canada, according to a release from PR Newswire.

"The late break-up of ice this year on Hudson Bay means the polar bears, which rely on sea ice to live, have been given more time during spring and summer to hunt and eat seals, and this has allowed them to gain important weight to live off of until freeze-up," said Robert Buchanan, president of Polar Bears International.

Daryll Hedman, a regional wildlife manager for Manitoba Conservation in Canada, said polar bears remain on the Hudson Bay ice for as long as possible so they can feed, and this year the ice was so thick that they stayed there for an extra two weeks, resulting in fatter, healthier bears this summer.

On a related front: With many Democrats still clamoring for cap-and-trade legislation to curb carbon emissions in response to global warming fears, the outgoing leader of the environmental group Greenpeace has retracted an assertion about Arctic ice.

In a July 15 release entitled "Urgent Action Ne

send a green star

9:34AM PDT on Aug 28, 2009

Continued......The United States of America is a great country but there are those in power now who want to change our direction and our constitution. We have fought along with European countries to stop horrible aggression from their attackers. WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and we have always tried to do what is right. We saved the people of Iran from a horrible dictator Saddam Hussein. Because of our industry anywhere from tv, movies, manufacturing, inventions, sports, and so forth. We have had a very positive impact on the world. I am very proud to say I am an American. We are free to speak our minds, we are free to protect ourselves, we are free to be whoever and whatever we want to be and to live where ever we want. Unfortunately, with things like cap and trade, environmentalists, and the socialist movement in our country, we are heading for total diaster. The core people of this country do not believe in the lies set forth through our government and media. We will fight to preserve our freedoms. We always have.
As for moths and butterflies. They need the warmth of the sun and a little dryness to thrive. If you have been wetter than normal, that could cause the problem. We are not heating up, we are cooling. Drastic measures being taken to stop "global warming" will have horrible effects on our climate even further.

9:25AM PDT on Aug 28, 2009

Jim W, I greatly appreciate your opinions and comments. I have been watching all of this since the big scare on the ozone hole, which has now been ruled out as naturally occuring. I do not sit and watch tv, when I do watch tv it is to escape from reality for a while.
We have a little beetle we call lightning bugs or fire flies. They generally come out in late June and last for about a month before it gets too hot. I have loved these little bugs since I was a child. It is late August and guess what, I saw some last night! That is highly unusual. August is supposed to be very hot and considered the "dog days of summer" This weekend it is supposed to rain and our highs are not expected to get out of the 60's! That is October weather not August weather. Yes the climate is changing, but it is not because of what man has done.
On to Jesus. No of course Jesus Christ did not carry a gun. I carry a gun for protection, Christ had a direct line to God. Not to mention times have changed over the past 2000+ years. Have they not? This country was founded under God. Our freedoms are God given freedoms. Over the past 200 years our Country has saved many other Countries from the oppression and distruction of people like Stalin and Hitler. We have fought against horrible regimes and atrocities. We have taken up many good causes to help the world become a better place. Our economy when drives the global economy.

Jim W.

8:23AM PDT on Aug 28, 2009

This is the last tact I 'am having on Global Warming this is our last chance we have got until 2012 to make all the differneces we can after that it is to late.
Yes I agree with you Renne the past two winters in the UK have been very wet but not bitterly cold except for last year we had a week of low temptures this year the trees are looking well but ther is no isects anywhere the bees have been hit by a virus but its the rest that I 'am concerend about I haven't seen many Butterflys or Moths or any other insects even the house spider is finding it hard and if you ask any Scot from the North of Scotland the barer of all bilight is the famous Midgie not near in many numbers, the Swallows Housemaritins and Swifts are ready to mIgrate why two months before there time.
THERE is SOMETHING WRONG You tell me what it is .
I like the American People but they are not far searching enough they watch to much television I never have mine on even the news is rubbish use your intelegince look at things for your self we all have freedom of choice but freedom of speach is another thing I know in my country I can if someone dosen't like what I have to say they can stuff it I don't force anyone my opionions I just say what I have to say and leave it at that.
Renne did the Lord Jesus say carry a gun????
Always your friend.
Jim W .
PS any mistakes in Garmmar or spelling Sorry at the moment suffering a lot of Pain,

8:25PM PDT on Aug 22, 2009

I asked some very pointed questions, none of you have answered them. Jim W, could it be that your fruit trees are dieing off because of the cooling trend? Also, depending on where you live, there is a blyte that is destroying trees. It is a fungus and it has nothing to do with global warming, it has to do with certain parts of the country being cooler and wetter than normal. Here in Ohio, a fungus has attacked and killed the vast majority of tomato plants because of it being so cool and wet.
Megan, if you have not had children, please start helping the earth by not reproducing. If you have already reproduced, then by all means, make sure they do not reproduce. Call all your girlfriends and female family members, and make sure you explain this to all of them and how they should not ever have children, it will save the planet. I dare you.
Did you know that there was another man in power at one time who feels exactly how all of you do now. He was environmentally conscious, hated smoking and banned it, hated over population and did what he could to control it. Hmmmm, let me think. Who was that? OH, I know. It was ADOLPH HITLER!! Read your history people. It is repeating.

2:19PM PDT on Aug 21, 2009

Please take a good look at Nature don't listen to what you Governments tell you Mother Nature is tell us herself about Global warming less bees less birds and insects lasy year I have two wild cherry trees outside my garden not a berry on them no apples on my trees this year own one tree has six apples everything is dying off why is there so Many of us LIVING IN CLOUD CUCKOO LAND.
Jim W

megan m.

1:13PM PDT on Aug 20, 2009

I agree with christopher and jason about population control. it is the very best long term way we will save our planet.

Jason N.

9:11AM PDT on Aug 19, 2009

Things aren't as they are to those who live in a fantasy world. A worm lived in a mulberry tree who had a bird as a friend. The bird worried that his friend was not concerned about the coming winter when by that time the mulberry tree leaves would fall leaving the bird without sustenance, and consequently facing an indisputable finality. The worm's reaction upon knowing his friend's concern was, "that is ridiculous, I've lived in this tree all my life and the leaves have never, ever fallen off, and it has never, ever been cold!"

12:08PM PDT on Aug 18, 2009

Past Member, I do not live in a fantasy world, I live in reality. Why is it that none of you ever stop to look at the past before the ice age hit? Why don't ANY of you ever consider the fact that the poles are shifting? Why don't ANY of you ever look at the fact that the ice sheet is actually as thick as it was in the 1970's. WHY?? Why do you ignore all of those facts? WHY is it that they have changed the term to climate change because it is not that hot anymore? They changed it to suit their needs. Why is that? My feet are firmly planted on this earth and yes Global Warming is a hoax. It is fabricated so fat idiots like Al Gore can make billons. And Governments can further control their people and yes, the New World Order. Which is crap and I will fight to stop that from happening.

Past Member .

9:15AM PDT on Aug 18, 2009

Renee lives in a fantasy world. Global warming is not a hoax by the government. Too much CO2 is the culprit. In the energy crisis of the 1990’s high gas prices were called a hoax by the oil companies. Millions of tons of CO2 emitted from coal plants and cars trap heat in the atmosphere. Question those environmental scientists whom test for CO2 emissions. I do get a kick out of the right wing desperately grasping at straws in their attempts to wish away global warming. When the Arctic, Antarctic and glaciers start to re-ice over years, you can come out and say I told you so, but not until then. Daily weather is not the same as climate. Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a particular area, usually 30 years.