Most Active Stories Wed December 21, 2011 Turbulence As Europe
Passes Fee On Plane Emissions A European court ruled Wednesday
that airlines flying into and out of European airports will have
to pay a price for the carbon dioxide they emit when they burn
jet fuel. U.S. airlines, which had been fighting the idea in
court, say the European Union is trying to force other countries
to reduce carbon emissions. Europe currently limits carbon
dioxide emissions from its major industries to curb global
warming. The ruling cannot be appealed, and the decision likely
to end the dispute. Air travel contributes only about 2 to 4
percent of the CO2 emissions worldwide. But Pamela Campos, an
attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund, says that will
grow. "This is an area where we are seeing very, very fast
growth in emissions and it's also an area that's technologically
tough so we need to start now," she says. As air traffic has
climbed, so have emissions. But Airlines for America, which
represents the U.S. industry, say