European policymakers to cut aviation emissions by 2020

Environment ministers from Europe are set to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from flying, according to recent reports.

Tomorrow, representatives from the 27 EU states will meet in Brussels to agree on the 10 per cent carbon emission cut in aviation by 2020. Earlier this year, Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, said that the UK is willing to cut carbon emissions and is targeting to have the same 2005 emission levels by 2050.

Air travel is one of the main sources of harmful greenhouse gases, but politicians have been hesitant to act as the number of flights and passengers is increasing rapidly. Quentin Browell from the International Air Transport Association voiced his doubts whether the 10 per cent cut is achievable.

On the other issue, finance ministers from the EU failed to resolve the impasse on funding that they will give to help developing countries in coping with global warming. Chancellor Alistair Darling calls the EU to commit € 10 billion, of which the UK would donate € 1 billion. Meanwhile, the EC has proposed € 15 billion per year. Similarly, the Environment Committee of the European Parliament this week set the funding at € 30 billion, but environmental lobbyists talk of € 35 billion.

Many politicians were disappointed with the meeting’s outcome. Anders Borg, Finance Minister of Sweden, said that it was obvious that there is a lack of commitment between the EU members.

Eliot Whittington from Christian Aid informed that there is only a one-week meeting left before the UN Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen. The differences between the western European states, and the new members from central and eastern Europe over how to split the overall bill may wreck the deal in the coming Copenhagen summit.