The rise of ultra-cheap airlines in Europe has led to unprecedented levels of casual flying, as well as attempts by officials to mitigate the jetliners' contributions to global warming. 
Problem is, says a new study by British climate researchers, their proposed solution – including airline companies in an emissions trading scheme – will have next to no effect on the problem.
Europe launched its emissions trading program in 2005, covering nearly half of the continent's biggest carbon dioxide emitters, such as power stations and refineries. Under the program, facilities are given a cap on how much they are allowed to emit, but can buy the rights to exceed that mark from other companies that fall under their own caps.
Policymakers are now proposing to add all intra-EU flights to that scheme by 2011, and all flights in or out of the EU by 2012.
Perhaps well-intentioned – but if policymakers really want to hold down the global rise in temperatures, they'll have to do more, said Kevin
Anderson, director of the Tyndall Center Energy Program at the
University of Manchester, the report's authors.
Anderson and other environmentalists are calling for new taxes on flights, on airline fuel, and restrictions on new runways, among other more stringent approaches.
(Photo Credit: John Borland)
