The European Parliament (EP) adopted on Tuesday a legislation on including aviation in the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS) from 2012.
The EP passed the legislation with a vote of 640 in favor, 30 against and 20 abstentions at a plenary session of the EP.
All flights starting and/or landing in Europe, including intercontinental flights, are to be included in the ETS from Jan. 1, 2012, under the legislation.
The reduction targets, calculated on the basis of airlines' average annual emissions between 2004 and 2006, in the first period (2012) were 3 percent based on a historic average and 5 percent in 2013 compared to the historic average, said the legislation.
The revenues generated from the auctioning of emissions allowances should be used to fund climate change mitigation, research on clean aircraft, anti-deforestation measures in the developing world and low-emission transport, the legislation said.
EP reporter on emissions Peter Liese said, "Of course, a global agreement is our final goal, but the inclusion of third country flights starting and landing in Europe is a major step for the global fight against climate change."
"Other industries like steel would very much like to be in such a situation," added Liese, who helped to broker the compromised deal in the past weeks.
Source:Xinhua
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