EU ministers retool airline emission regs

BRUSSELS, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- European Union ministers said they curtailed a draft law that would regulate emissions from any airliner landing or taking off in Europe.

The revisions would delay the start date of the emission regulations by a year and reduce the amount of permits airlines would have to buy, the International Herald Tribune reported Friday.

EU environment officials had promoted the airline bill as central to a European effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the U.S. government and airlines balked, saying an international agreement should be in place first. Airlines also say the EU action could cost billions of dollars and increase ticket prices.

"This is a bold step by Europe ... which shows the EU leading in the fight against dangerous climate change," said Hilary Benn, British environment secretary.

Environmentalists criticized the decision, calling it hypocritical since governments pledged to make deep cuts in emissions during a U.N. climate change conference in Indonesia this month.

"It's a shameful end to a year filled with promise for action on climate change," said Joao Vieira of Transport and Environment, a group in Brussels that champions sustainable transport.