Aviation fuel to undermine pledge on global warming - Liz Lynne

3.55.29pm GMT Wed 23rd Nov 2005

Liz Lynne, Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands, has expressed her concern at

the devastating cost of tax-free fuel for airlines on global warming.

Aviation fuel is currently untaxed, despite the growing evidence that it

is undermining international efforts to reduce the damaging gases that

cause global warming.

Speaking in Brussels today, Liz commented:

"We need to do something about this now, not next year. Global warming is

a serious problem, which not only threatens the environment of the future,

but that which surrounds us today.

"There is no alternative but to address the issue directly and tax

aviation fuel. We simply cannot sign up to the Kyoto agreement and then

knowingly refrain from implementing tax on such a major contributor of

greenhouse gases, which will almost certainly result in us missing the

target."

On current trends, the European Commission says that aviation emissions

"will become a major contributor" of greenhouse gases.

Rather than tax the fuel, the European Commission is preparing to include

it in the trading scheme for harmful emissions that cause global warming,

and will be tabling legislation next year.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

A European Commission report reveals that if the current rate of growth in

air travel continues, it will result in a 150 per cent increase in

emissions from international flights from EU airports by 2012, which will

offset more than a quarter of the reductions required under the European

Union's agreed Kyoto target.

Information on the environmental cost of air travel can be found on the

air travel calculator at www.chooseclimate.org and United Nations

Environment Programme