Aviation and the European Union's Emission Trading Scheme

Author / Creator

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Resources, Science, and Industry Division

Available as

Online

Summary

Provides background on inclusion of international aviation in the European Union (EU) emission trading scheme (ETS), and reviews possible options for Congressional consideration. Summarizes broad a...

Provides background on inclusion of international aviation in the European Union (EU) emission trading scheme (ETS), and reviews possible options for Congressional consideration. Summarizes broad agreements internationally to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and explains why emissions from aviation are a particularly difficult problem. Describes EU approach to abating GHG emissions, principally through its EU ETS; and examines how the scheme specifically covers aviation. Outlines reasons that many international airlines and non-EU nations oppose EU regulation, including potential financial, technological, and competitiveness issues. Summarizes Dec. 2011 European Court of Justice rulings on litigation brought by U.S. airlines, and identifies responsive actions by U.S. Government and other countries.

This report is one in a series of updates. For the most recent coverage of this report series, please see 12-R4-2392a in the 2012 issue.

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