Indian carriers submit carbon emission data to EU

Indian carriers have submitted carbon emission data to European Union sought by the bloc following its decision to impose carbon tax on air travel.

EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard today replied in the affirmative when asked whether Indian carriers have submitted emission data to the EU.

In December last year, the Indian government had asked the airlines to refrain from submitting carbon emissions data to the EU for a new tax, which became applicable from January 1 for all flights to Europe.

Interacting with media, Hedegaard also indicated that EU was willing to consider any global consensus adopted on the European Union Emission Trading System (EU-ETS) issue.

"Basically, my approach, the European approach is to say to our Indian and other counterparts that....(if) you would not like, it will be much more interesting to know what is actually your proposal, your initiatives to get a global way of doing that," she said.

"That is what we are looking for so many years and (we) need more parties actually to engage," Hedegaard said after meeting Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh here.

A meeting of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council and other non-EU Member States held in New Delhi in September had opposed the inclusion of aviation in the EU-ETS saying that the unilaterally imposed EU-ETS measures were inconsistent with the international legal regimes.

Justifying the EU carbon law, Hedegaard said, "It is not just a wild idea" and it entered into force after it was "tried years and years and years to get a global regulation" on carbon emission by airlines.