From the BBC comes this bit of good news:

EU suspends aircraft emissions trading rules

The European Union has agreed to suspend its rules that require airlines flying to and from airports in the EU to pay for their carbon emissions.

The rules had been unpopular with countries outside Europe such as the US, China and India.

Climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard said she had proposed “stopping the clock for one year”.

She said the suspension was due to progress being made in negotiations on a global emissions deal.

But she added that if the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) did not make progress towards a global deal by this time next year the European tax would be reintroduced.

The EU brought in the Emissions Trading Scheme on 1 January.

India and China have been among the most vocal opponents of the ETS, with India banning its airlines from complying with it in April.

The European Commission’s recommendation came after last Friday’s general meeting of the ICAO, which agreed to move towards a market-based mechanism for emissions trading.

The commission said it had only introduced its own trading scheme because it had “waited for many years for ICAO to progress”.

“Nobody wants an international framework framework tackling CO2-emissions from aviation more than we do,” Ms Hedegaard said.

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