§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to include aviation in the target of a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. [158830]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Government are committed to putting the UK on a path to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by 2050. International flights from the UK do not currently count in the national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions as there is no international agreement yet on ways of allocating such emissions between countries. However, the Government's Energy White Paper made it clear that the aviation industry is encouraged to take account of, and where appropriate reduce, its contribution to global warming.
This was restated, and built on, in the recently published Air Transport White Paper which announced a package of measures to reduce the impact of aviation on climate change. This included the Government's intention to press for the inclusion of intra-EU air services in the forthcoming EU emissions trading scheme, and that this will be a priority for the UK Presidency in 2005, with a view to aviation joining the scheme from 2008, or as soon as possible thereafter.