Airlines savaged over environment
January 5, 2007
A minister has launched an outspoken attack on the airline industry over failure to tackle carbon emissions.
Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Environment Minister Ian Pearson said budget airline Ryanair was the "irresponsible face of capitalism".
He singled out US airlines' attitude to cutting emissions as "a disgrace".
The EU is to include airlines in its carbon trading scheme, which will see them pay for exceeding their current level of emissions.
Flights within Europe will come under the jurisdiction of the Emissions Trading Scheme by 2011.
The scheme would be expanded from 2012 to include all international flights that arrive at or depart from an EU airport.
Airlines would be issued with pollution permits - those that cut emissions would be able to sell their surplus while an airline that increased its emissions would have to buy more permits.
Ryanair has opposed efforts to control carbon emissions in this way, saying a trading scheme would discriminate against low-cost airlines.
The US has already questioned whether it would be legal within global trading rules to force airlines flying into the EU to take part in the scheme.
There are already reports that US airlines are considering legal action to overturn the EU's efforts.
In the Guardian, Mr Pearson also attacked BA, saying it was "only just playing ball", and Lufthansa, the German airline.
But much of the minister's ire was reserved for Ryanair, whose chief executive Michael O'Leary has said his company's carbon emissions will continue rising.
Mr Pearson told the newspaper: "When it comes to climate change, Ryanair are not just the unacceptable face of capitalism, they are the irresponsible face of capitalism."
Ryanair has insisted Mr Pearson is misinformed.
"Ryanair has spent over $10 billion on a fleet of fuel-efficient engines which have reduced fuel burn by 45% and cut CO2 emissions by 50% per passenger, making Ryanair Europe's greenest airline."
Urgent progress
Mr Pearson also roundly attacked the attitude towards emissions in the US.
"They just seem to be saying they don't want anything to do with the trading scheme, and that they will take the EU to court if transatlantic flights are included. It is completely irresponsible."
In a statement, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "Urgent progress is needed to ensure that aviation addresses its climate change impacts.
"The UK has led the debate with Europe to include aviation in the Emissions Trading Scheme and the recent announcement by the European Commission is a step forward in ensuring the environmental costs of aviation's climate change impacts are taken into account.
"We must work urgently with the aviation sector, the EC and other governments to put in place an ambitious scheme that is environmentally effective and one which is implemented as soon as possible, driving down emissions further and faster."
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