BEIJING — China and Russia denounced an EU scheme demanding that airlines buy carbon emission permits as an unfair burden infringing on other nations' sovereignty.
The plan will "have an extremely negative impact on the international aviation industry," China's Civil Aviation Administration said Tuesday in a joint statement with Russia's Transportation Ministry, the Xinhua news agency reported.
"We oppose any unilateral and mandatory moves that are taken without the agreement of involved parties on the aviation emission issue," it added.
China and Russia will work together via the UN International Civil Aviation Organization to "properly handle" the issue, the report said.
"Any solution must be based on agreement and mutual benefit and should be aimed at the sustainable development of the global aviation industry," it said.
As of Jan. 1, some 4,000 airline operators will face emission limits on all flights into or out of the 27-nation bloc, regardless of nationality or operator, and must submit emission permits for each ton of carbon dioxide released.
The emissions cap of 212.9 million tons of CO2 next year equates to 97 percent of the sector's average yearly emissions in 2004-06. It will tighten to 95 percent, or 208.5 million tons, from 2013 through 2020.
Free allocation will differ widely depending on the airline, according to a Point Carbon report last week. It said scheduled airlines will receive 20 to 100 percent of their 2012 permit requirement free.
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