China bans airlines from EU carbon-emission law

The Chinese government has banned national airlines from taking part in the European Union carbon-emissions system, saying that the system contravenes the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change and international civil aviation regulations.

In a statement released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country has criticised the new framework over its legality in relation to UN law. The reaction could lead to the EU grounding Chinese flights, although this is unlikely to happen as the case goes to negotiation.

Other countries have also opposed the law, with India, Russia the US and other global airlines saying that it will be less effective than a global solution.

Today, India, the US, Russia and global airlines have also objected to the levy, saying it will be less effective than a global solution. This is a possibility as a compromise, with the International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN body, likely to take action over a global system.

The cost of the carbon tax is expected to be passed on to the passenger, with airlines calculating huge losses in revenue otherwise. Vitalij Saveljev, the CEO of Russia’s biggest airline Aeroflot, says the tax will cost the company about 40 million euros this year.

Posted by Lauren Steadman