US Airlines Could Face $9 Billion Carbon Bill In 2020

Proposed U.S. emission-trading legislation could leave airlines with a $9 billion annual bill in carbon costs, FlightGlobal.com reports.

Should the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act become law in 2012, the cap and trade proposals would be extremely expensive, Air Transport Association vice-president environmental affairs Nancy Young said during the Aviation & Environmental Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

The act was introduced in October to establish a domestic greenhouse gas trading scheme that would apply to transportation, electric power and manufacturing.

The association’s analysis shows the proposals would cost $5 billion annually beginning 2012, escalating to $9 billion by 2020, Young said.

In addition to European proposals to include aviation in the existing emission-trading scheme and the Lieberman-Warner initiative, there are 10 major climate change bills before the U.S. Congress that could impact the aviation industry, with another expected soon from Congressmen John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.).

At the third annual Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva April 22 and 23, 2008, airlines, airports, and aircraft makers pledged for the first time to cut their emissions.