*EU climate flight plans 'deluded'*

European Union proposals to reduce the climate impact of flying will not
work, a report concludes.

The EU plans to include aviation in its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

But analysts at the Tyndall Centre, a prestigious UK climate research
body, say this will have minimal effect without a major rise in carbon
prices.

Friends of the Earth (FoE) which funded the study wants mandatory
efficiency goals for aircraft, tax on aviation fuel and curbs on airport
expansion.

Other measures are also needed to tackle the growing climate impact of
flying
Richard Dyer

Q&A: Emissions trading
"We delude ourselves if we believe the proposed framing of the EU ETS is
in keeping with the EU's own and repeated commitment to limit climate
change to a 2C (3.6F) rise," said Kevin Anderson, director of the
Tyndall Centre's energy programme.

"The current aviation ETS proposal must be significantly strengthened so
as to drive down emission growth rates and force the adoption of more
efficient aircraft technologies and operation."

Priced too low

The ETS began operating in 2005. Current plans call for inclusion of
flights within Europe by 2011, extending a year later to all flights
originating or ending on the continent.

Tyndall and FoE believe this would be too late. By 2012, they say,
carbon emissions from aviation will have increased by at least 25%.

Another criticism is that the current price of carbon is too low to make
any impact on flying.

Carbon is currently trading at about 20 euros (£13.50; $27) per tonne.
The Tyndall analysis suggests that even a price of 300 euros per tonne
would bring only a moderate increase in ticket prices and a moderate
fall in passenger numbers.

"Other political measures are also needed to tackle the growing climate
impact of flying," commented FoE's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer.

"This should include VAT on air tickets, a tax on aviation fuel and
opposition to new runways."