EU drafts plan to exempt long-haul flights from new emissions rules

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🗞️ Driving the news: The European Commission has drafted a plan to initially exempt long-haul flights from new emissions reporting rules
• This follows lobbying from international carriers and involves tracking emissions of non-CO2 pollutants like soot, nitrogen oxides, and water vapor starting January 2025
• The exemption would apply to flights between Europe and non-European destinations until 2027

🔭 The context: Airlines' non-CO2 emissions significantly contribute to global warming

• Current EU regulations only require airlines to disclose and pay for CO2 emissions within Europe, and these rules are set for reassessment in 2026
• The proposed plan has divided the airline industry, with some favoring inclusion of all flights and others seeking exemptions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Long-haul flights are major contributors to aviation's climate impact
• Exempting them could undermine efforts to fully understand and mitigate aviation's role in climate change, delaying crucial action against non-CO2 pollutants

⏭️ What's next: The EU's draft proposal will undergo further discussion and potential revisions
• The reassessment of current CO2 emission rules in 2026 could influence future decisions regarding long-haul flight exemptions

💬 One quote: "The blanket exclusion of extra-EEA routes would give the misleading impression that these routes create no non-CO2 warming effects, misdirecting all future non-CO2 mitigation measures," stated Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air in a joint statement

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