The EU proposes air emissions quota regulations

On December 20, the European Commission proposed to apply airlines' CO2 emission quotas to support greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in a spirit of of the European Union's Kyoto Protocol (EU).

The proposal, if approved by EU countries and Congress, is expected to apply from 2011 on all continental sky flights, and from 2012 for all flights to or from from the airport side

Mr. Stavros Dimas (Photos: Wikipedia)

outside the continent. This is considered to be part of the EU Emissions Trading Plan (ETS), which allows airlines that are able to drastically cut their quota emissions.

EU environmental commissioner Stavros Dimas said bringing the aviation industry's emissions problem into ETS is an effective, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution. Meanwhile, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Giovanni Bisignani voiced his support for the proposal carefully, taking it as one of many measures to cut emissions.

Although the amount of CO2 emitted by airlines accounts for only about 3% of global emissions, it is worrisome that the gas has increased by 87% since 1990, due to the need for air travel. flying tends to increase rapidly. In addition, because the aircraft often flies high in the sky, its effect on global warming is multiplied by 2-4 times. If the problem is not prevented, by 2020 the world-made air emissions will increase more than twice the current level.