Open skies pact 'will worsen climate change'

[jpak]

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/climate_change/article2381060.ece

Plans to open up transatlantic aviation and generate an extra 26 million air passengers over five years will undermine Europe's push to combat climate change, campaigners warned yesterday.

An "open skies" agreement, due to be agreed by EU transport ministers today, is being hailed as a revolution by officials who say it will deliver more competition and lower fares.

But environmental groups say the increased air traffic generated by the measure will write off all the benefits expected from separate plans to "green" aviation by bringing airlines into the EU's carbon emissions trading scheme.

Coming just days after EU leaders announced ambitious plans to combat global warming, the row over "open skies" has prompted questions about the EU's commitment to the environment. Under the deal, any EU airline will be able to fly to the US from any part of Europe ushering in a dramatic change in the structure of transatlantic aviation.

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