Top EU powers backing down over aviation emissions: sources

The sources said the shift could jeopardize the EU's carbon trading scheme - the central plank of its climate policy - and put the three countries on a collision course with the European Parliament, which could reintroduce the EU emissions restrictions if it is not happy with a global deal. Negotiators from 191 countries are debating a global market-based measure by 2020, plus a framework on regional schemes for the interim. The new text says that "Mutual consent" is needed if a regional scheme is found to cover flights that do not depart or land within that region, or if the scheme is "Intended to cover any portion of those flights beyond the national airspaces of the States concerned." "The UK is continuing to work closely with EU and international partners to achieve an ambitious package toward a global market-based aviation emissions measure by 2020, plus a framework on regional schemes which allows the EU ETS to continue to function in the interim," Britain's department of energy and climate change said.

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/3ViAVtDIaBg/story01.htm