Emissions from planes included for first time in climate change plans

Emissions from planes are to be included for the first time in ambitious government plans to cut greenhouse gases by 80 per cent after ministers were forced into the change to head off a back bench rebellion.

by Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent Last Updated: 3:23PM GMT 27 Oct 2008

The new amendment agrees to take international aviation into account
Ed Miliband, the new secretary of state for energy and climate change, won environmental plaudits when he declared earlier this month that the UK would be the first country in the world to commit to legally binding cuts in its greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Change Bill committed the country to cut greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by 2050.
But the target did not include emissions from international aviation and shipping.
Green campaigners said the omission made the target meaningless - like agreeing to go on a diet but not including chocolate cake - and threatened to oppose the Bill until the law was strengthened.
An amendment including aviation in the target and backed by the Lib Dems, the Tories and enough Labour backbenchers to overthrow the government was put down in Parliament.
However in the face of a possible defeat, the Government has put forward a new amendment strengthening the Bill enough to keep the environmental lobby happy, while retaining enough control over the targets to reassure the business sector.
The new amendment, put down by Labour MP Elliot Morley, agrees to take international aviation into account when setting the five yearly budgets to meet the target.
Because there is not yet an agreed way to allocate emissions from international aviation to different countries, they cannot be included in the target. However by taking emissions from aviation into account it will force a larger cut in overall emissions.
The move is in line with the recommendations of Lord Adair Turner's Committee on Climate Change.
A government spokesman said: "We think we have an agreement which means Bill is workable."
Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, welcomed the move.
He said: "People from right around the UK demanded a strong law. The Government have listened."
Matthew Farrow, head of environment at the CBI, admitted the inclusion of aviation will make the target more challenging for all sectors.
But he said aviation should be included for the targets to really be effective.