By Nigam Prusty
NEW DELHI Feb 14 (Reuters) – The European Union’s
move to charge airlines for carbon emissions violates
international laws and jeopardises global efforts to fight
climate change, the BASIC group of countries, which includes
China, said on Tuesday.
From Jan. 1, all airlines using EU airports have come under
the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, and any airline
that does not comply could face a fine of 100 euros ($128) for
each tonne of carbon dioxide emitted for which they have not
surrendered allowances.
In the case of persistent offenders, the EU has the right to
ban airlines from its airports – rules that have drawn protest
from airlines around the world. China said it would bar its
carriers from taking part.
In a two-day meeting in New Delhi that ended on Tuesday, the
environment ministers of Brazil, South Africa, India and China,
known as the BASIC bloc, said the EU rule ran counter to the
idea of “multilateralism” and to the provisions of the U.N.
Framework Convention on Climate Change.
“Ministers noted that the unilateral action by EU in the
name of climate change was taken despite strong international
opposition and would seriously jeopardise the international
efforts to combat climate change,” they said in a joint
statement.
“The ministers recognised the threat of similar unilateral
measures being considered by developed countries in the name of
climate change in the area of international shipping and
expressed their concern.”
Foreign governments say Brussels has exceeded its legal
jurisdiction by calculating the carbon cost over the whole
flight, not just Europe.
Non-EU airlines say the levy is discriminatory.
Continued…
