Sustainability and Environment
What are the limits of Europe’s ETS?
It is astonishing to many operators outside Europe, but under the European Union’s emissions trading scheme they are accountable for their engines’ carbon

It is astonishing to many operators outside Europe, but under the European Union’s emissions trading scheme they are accountable for their engines’ carbon dioxide emissions from the minute they take off for a flight to or from Europe–even for miles flown outside European airspace. So, a flight taking off from Paris, Texas, to fly to Paris, France, will “pay” for its emissions right across the Atlantic.

Except, that is, if the operator takes advantage of one of at least two available loopholes. Switzerland remains outside the European Union. So the same operator could fly from Paris, Texas, to Zurich and then fly on to the French capital. It would then be accountable under ETS only for the sector between Switzerland and France.