Climate Change Bill [HL]

Whether we can agree with the noble Lord, Lord Soley, that it would be unrealistic to pass these amendments to the Bill depends on one’s confidence on the timescale both at European and international levels. We would all accept that the ideal solution would be international agreement, but perhaps we should look at the fora within which such agreements are being discussed. We have had for some time, at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and particularly at the conference in Bali in December, discussions on allocating international aviation emissions. My impression is that we are still some way from resolving that framework discussion until well after 2012. Furthermore, the International Civil Aviation Organisation met in September 2007. It is seeking to produce international comprehensive measures to address aviation emissions. The Government, in their comment on this in response to the pre-legislative scrutiny, said that the discussions had not been as conclusive as they would have wished. In fact, they said that they had produced an outcome that was not as ambitious as they would have hoped. That leaves the European dimension, and we are pressing for the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as soon as possible—ideally within phase 2 in 2008-12. If I had confidence that any three of these initiatives on the European and international scale were going to achieve reasonably quick results, perhaps I would be less supportive of these proposals. But until I hear evidence from the Minister that any of them have much prospect of success, I would be willing to support these rather brave—rather heroic, I admit—amendments.