EU Waits for US on Airline Pollution

The EU was going to implement a charge on airlines emitting greenhouse gases for flights in and out of member states beginning next year. The International Civil Aviation Organization meet last Friday to discuss measures for curbing CO₂ pollution from airline operations. The result of the meeting was that the Council announced a delay in EU implementation of the regulations requiring tracking of and charging for airline emissions for one year until 2013, as "a measure of good faith" in order to reach an agreement with the United States and other nations on aviation pollution. Last December the European Court of Justice upheld the EU's law forcing foreign airlines using EU airports to pay for emissions after several US and Canadian airlines filed for judicial review of the rules. The United States' reaction to the regulation of a fast growing source of carbon dioxide pollution is somewhat predictable given its head in the sand approach to global warming in general. Congress has passed a bill prohibiting the United States from complying with the European regulations. The bill awaits action by El Obamados. Whether presidential action on global warming is just more campaign hot air will soon be apparent.