Voting day: EU emission cutting plans suffer setback as MEPs reject carbon market reforms

Plans to reform the European Union’s (EU) carbon market were dealt a blow by European lawmakers, after MEPs rejected the proposal and sent it back to a parliament committee for a redraft.

The result scuppers an attempt on Wednesday to confirm the EU assembly’s position for upcoming negotiations on final carbon market reforms, as lawmakers splintered over whether to strengthen or weaken the plans.

Europe’s carbon market is the EU’s main policy for cutting CO2 emissions driving climate change.

The package of proposals aims to deliver the bloc’s target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions 55 per cent by 2030, from 1990 levels.

Later today, some lawmakers will attempt to reinforce the scheme to deliver 67 per cent emissions cut by 2030 – higher than the 61 per cent initially proposed by the European Commission, which drafts EU laws.

Aviation emissions

Suncana Glavak, rapporteur for the EU Parliament’s environmental committee, took it to Twitter to express her joy after her proposals on the reduction of aviation fuel emissions were approved.

“I am pleased that we can start inter-institutional negotiations, thanks to colleagues for their cooperation,” she tweeted.

Under the current legislation, only intra European flights are part of the EU carbon market but today’s vote has changed it to include all departing flights, especially hitting long-haul ones.

Legacy carriers have benefitted because the majority of their flights is not part of the EU’s emission trading scheme, as it does not apply to non-EEA destinations.

According to data major airlines such as Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France don’t pay for 77, 86, 83 per cent of their emissions respectively.

The strategy was criticised by short-haul carriers, who believed big polluters got away with not paying for their emissions, and environmental groups. Earlier this year Ryanair, Wizz Air and Easyjet signed a statement calling to revise the policy.

Commenting on the vote, Jo Dardenne, acting director for aviation at Transport & Environment said: “It’s finally time for the EU to take back responsibility for tackling the biggest chunk of aviation’s emissions. 

“Over 60 per cent of Europe’s aviation emissions will no longer be ignored, marking a major step forward in tackling polluting long haul flights. 

“It’s now up to national governments to make this a reality.”