Despite fierce international opposition, the European Commission has taken the next step to make airlines pay for carbon emissions, Reuters reported.
On Monday, the Commission partly activated its registry to centralize carbon allowance accounts currently held under national registries, pending full activation, which will not take place before June, the story said.
Under European Union law, all airlines using airports in the EU are required to come into the EU’s carbon trading scheme.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and China are among those to have stated fierce objections to the EU law forcing airlines landing or taking off from the European Union to pay for carbon emitted, the story said.
Initially, airlines will get free allowances to cover some 85% of their emissions and their bill will only be calculated after their carbon output has been tabulated at the end of the year, said Reuters.
As of Monday, aircraft operators can open accounts in the central EU registry and will then become eligible for free allowances. At the end of February, they will receive a first of roughly 181 million aviation carbon permits to be handed out in 2012, the story said.
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