Plans to include any airline landing or taking off on EU territory in an emissions trading scheme are legal, an adviser to Europe’s top court has said.
European Court of Justice Advocate General Juliane Kokott said this in response to a legal challenge to the scheme by North American airlines.
Though the court will not rule until next year, the BBC said it follows the advocate-general’s opinion in most cases.
The new emissions scheme is due to begin in January and will involve extra costs for airlines, who are likely to pass these on to passengers.
Under the 1997 Kyoto climate pact, countries agreed to address emissions from aviation jointly through the UN’s aviation body, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
However, negotiations there have stalled.
It is estimated that aviation accounts for three percent of total carbon dioxide emissions.
Tony Tyler, IATAÂ’s director general and CEO, said the association was “disappointed with the opinion of the Advocate General, but it is only part of a complex set of developments concerning the EU-ETSâ€.
