Fri, Jul 29, 2011
Estimates U.S. Airlines Will Pay $3.1 Billion To EU By
2020
The ATA said Thursday that the illegal European Union (EU)
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) could cost the U.S. airline industry
more than $3 billion through 2020, if the extraterritorial
cap-and-trade requirements are implemented as planned next
year.
"The EU ETS violates international law, including the
sovereignty of the United States and imposes an illegal, exorbitant
and counterproductive tax on U.S. citizens, diverting U.S. dollars
and threatening thousands upon thousands of jobs," said ATA Vice
President, Environmental Affairs Nancy Young in testimony before
the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on
Aviation. "Working with industry, continued U.S. Government
opposition is crucial to bringing the EU back to the global
negotiating table."
According to ATA estimates, the U.S. airlines will be required
to pay more than $3.1 billion into EU coffers between 2012 and
year-end 2020. That outlay could support more than 39,200 U.S.
airline jobs. The costs could double if the cost of carbon
allowances escalates as it has in recent years. "None of the monies
collected by the Europeans are required to be used for
environmental purposes. By contrast, the initiatives that the U.S.
airlines are undertaking are resulting in real environmental
improvements," Young said.
U.S. airlines have dramatically improved fuel efficiency and
reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by investing billions of
dollars in fuel-saving aircraft and engines, innovative
technologies like winglets and advanced avionics. Accordingly, the
U.S. airline industry improved its fuel efficiency by 110 percent
between 1978 and 2009, resulting in carbon dioxide savings
equivalent to taking 19 million cars off the road each of those
years. The industry represents just 2 percent of all U.S. GHG
emissions while driving more than 5 percent of the nation's gross
domestic product.
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