16 October 2008
Exemption for international aviation makes a mockery of climate change bill
Colin Howden, Director of Transform Scotland, said:
"It is obviously welcome that Ed Miliband has accepted that the UK climate change bill should aim at an 80% reduction in emissions, like the Scottish bill already does. But it is not acceptable that he has continued to give exemptions to the aviation industry.
"Anyone who has followed the climate change debate over the past decade will be aware that the air transport industry has a massive, and quickly growing, impact on climate emissions. By failing to include emissions from international aviation within the climate change bill, the UK Government has given the clear message to the public that it is OK to continue to fly overseas as much as they want, irrespective of the climate change impacts.
"The Parliament now needs to rectify Miliband's failure and legislate to include international aviation and shipping within the UK climate change bill. Anything else will make a mockery of the whole process."