EC's aviation emission move raises concerns

[SINGAPORE] A revised proposal by the European Commission (EC) to extend the EU emissions trading system (ETS) to all flights operating in European airspace from next year has been met with concern from aviation associations.

These groups say the move undermines ongoing efforts by the United Nations' aviation body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), to devise a scheme to curb emissions growth that will apply globally.

When the EC mooted the controversial scheme in recent years, it called for airlines to pay an emissions tax based on the distance from the last point of take-off. This plan incited staunch opposition from countries suc…