Skip to content

Euro Parliment says all the right things

31st August, 2006

A resolution in the European Parliament has sent a strong message to Brussels and national governments that action is needed to address the increasing impact of aviation on climate change.

A resolution was introduced to the European Parliament on 4th July 2006 on reducing the climate impact of climate change. It was passed overwhelmingly by 439 to 74 votes.

The resolution sent a strong message the European Commission and Council of Ministers that members want to see real action to address the increasing impact of aviation on climate change.

The key points of the resolution are:

  • The ‘polluter pays principle’ or ‘full cost internalisation’ should be implemented
  • Aircraft fuel should be taxed for all domestic and intra-EU flights.
  • An ‘emissions trading scheme’ (ETS) has a role, but it must strong and rigorous with wide geographical coverage, stringent caps, auctioned permits, etc.
  • Measures are needed to address non-CO2 impacts (ETS may only cover CO2 climate impacts).

The resolution was produced and steered through the Parliament by the Green MEP, Caroline Lucas, who did a superb job in getting such a strong resolution passed so comprehensively.

A resolution of the European Parliament does not have any direct impact on policy, any more than an ‘Early Day Motion’ does in the UK parliament. However, it makes the decision makers aware of informed opinion and will hopefully influence the European Commission, who are due to publish proposal by the end of the year and must take into account the various opinions they have received.