"US airlines must pay for their carbon dioxide emissions or face a curb on flights to the European Union, the EU transport commissioner warned yesterday." "The green ultimatum was issued by Jacques Barrot as the transatlantic airline market undergoes its biggest shakeup in 30 years when limits on flights between the EU and US are lifted this month. Barrot said negotiations on a second phase for the treaty will include a demand that US carriers join the EU emissions trading scheme or an equivalent system in the US." US told to go green on carbon emissions or lose EU flights | Environment | The Guardian
Exactly who is supposed to get this money? what are they going to do with it? What oversight is there? Call it the "Carbon Tariff", that's what it really is. So fewer flights to the EU, big loss. As long as the Europeans can get here and spend thoae sweet Euros! LOL
As our economic clout continues to wane, I suspect that we'll be seeing other such instances of how our lack of environmental policy is actually BAD for business. If the USA doesn't get its act together soon, we will be at the mercy of countries who don't necessarily have our best interests at heart. Actually, I think we may have begun down that slippery slope already, but just aren't admitting it to ourselves yet. Whatever...I just LOVE that new flat screen TV I bought with my stimulus check (plus a bit extra that I had to charge).
Doesn't matter, we've had little say about it since we bailed on Kyoto, and in any case, what are we going to do? Drop a bomb on them? (GWB: that's only a joke). We're simply not in a position of strength, and I suspect that any repercussions of isolationism in the airline industry will damage struggling domestic airlines, much more than those overseas. Frankly, I'm looking forward to the day when I can fly British Airlines from SF to NY.
Except our terrorist paranoia is making it a hassle for them to get into the country to spend those euros and yens. Foreign tourism is down.
Fewer flights to the EU.... big deal. I went to Spain to visit my sister a year and a half ago - If i did the same trip today, it'd cost me nearly double what it did then. The dollar is just to weak to make trips like that affordable.
