Climate Change Bill [HL]

Amendment No. 115 states, ““leave out ‘do not’””. I was drawing an analogy with other goods and services. By introducing restrictions and allowances for departing and arriving flights, we would be taking a decision that related to citizens and airlines of other countries coming here, as well as to airlines departing this country. We know that European proposals are the subject of vigorous discussion with the United States, China and India, which is another reason why the Government’s proposed way forward, through the European scheme, is much more sensible and will bear early results. Should the climate change committee include aviation emissions in targets, which I think we all agree would be the consequence of the amendment, if it is not possible for the Government unilaterally to do something about them? If something is included in a target, the Bill requires the Government to produce policies to address it. What policies do the movers of the amendments believe that the Government and climate change committee can between them put together in the next four years to do something about it before the European scheme is introduced? One should not through these amendments include aviation emissions in targets at this stage—when the European scheme comes in, it will be a different issue—if it is not possible to do something about it. There is widespread agreement, both outside and inside Parliament, that aviation and shipping emissions are important and have to be addressed. We are discussing in these amendments whether the Bill should be changed so that those emissions are included now, which means in the first three- or four-year budget periods, by the climate change committee, with the Government having to produce policies within a few months to address it. They are not good amendments. The Government’s proposed alternative in the Bill is to wait until a European scheme is introduced. Some two or three years ago, Sub-Committee B of the European Union Committee, whose chair I had the honour of occupying before my noble friend Lord Mitchell took it over, looked at the emissions trading scheme and aviation. It was the view then of members of the committee that we should join in. Since then, the Government have taken the lead among member states in advocating pushing forward those changes. I hope that the amendments are not supported. If they are withdrawn, I hope that it is done in a way that indicates confidence that the European ETS is the way forward.