ICAO votes against EU carbon plan

In a further setback for the European Union campaign to foist a carbon tax on the international aviation industry, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) a United Nations body responsible for civil aviation, voted against the EU's emissions trading scheme on Wednesday.

The ICAO resolution now adds to the pressure on the EU to back down in what threatens to become a serious trade dispute.

ICAO adopted a working paper from the United States, India and two dozen other nations urging the EU not to include non-EU carriers in its plan. The ICAO said the paper had been adopted by "a clear majority."

Under EU's proposals to put the aviation industry under its overarching Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), airlines would have to buy permits to help offset greenhouse emissions from jetliners operating in, to and from Europe.

"It is disappointing that ICAO discussions once again focus on what States should not do instead of what they should do to curb growing aviation emissions," Connie Hedegaard, the EU's top climate action official, said in a statement.

"Unfortunately ICAO has missed again today the opportunity to tell the world when it will (put forward) a viable global solution."