EU must hold US to CO2 emissions limit

The lawsuit brought by North American airlines against CO2 emissions limits failed in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on Wednesday. Despite the sanctions announced shortly afterwards the EU must insist that as of January all airlines that land or take off in the EU pay for their CO2 emissions, the left-leaning daily die tageszeitung urges: "US Foreign Secretary Hillary Clinton personally spearheaded a global alliance of 43 states that are now publicly threatening the EU with sanctions should the guidelines come into effect. They consider their sovereignty to have been violated on the grounds that the planes take off on their territory. Now the conflict will be fought out where it belongs: on the level of international policy. It is senseless to invoke national sovereignty in regards to greenhouse gas emissions - as if CO2 stopped at national borders. For that reason the EU must remain firm. In addition, environmental protection is more important than global free trade. If the EU commits itself to this principle conflicts will only become more frequent, especially with the US."

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