A meeting of 17 non-European nations hosted by the U.S. State and Transportation departments in Washington last week ended with assurances that the participants were working toward curbing their emissions from aviation.
Given that no European Union countries were invited to the gathering, it was unsurprising that all the participating nations reaffirmed their strong opposition to the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme (E.U. ETS).
Non-European countries do not like having to participate in the European cap-and-trade carbon emission plan that since the beginning of 2012 also covers airliners — European or not — that takeoff or land at European airports.
The meeting was well timed. Last Wednesday a Senate committee approved a bill that would forbid U.S. airlines from participating in the trading scheme. The bill, which has already passed the House, has broad bipartisan support.
