SAS welcomes proposal from European Commission

The SAS Group welcomes the proposal presented by the European Commission today that air travel is to be included in the European Emission Trading Scheme for greenhouse gases. This trading scheme is the most cost-efficient method of reducing emissions, at the same time as providing scope for growth in a responsible manner. However, a limiting factor is that it is only an intra-European scheme.

“We are satisfied with the Commission’s proposal, although in environmental terms and from a competitive perspective it would be preferable to have a global scheme. Ideally, we would liked to have seen such a scheme be created from the very beginning,” says Niels Eirik Nertun, Environmental Director at the SAS Group.

“Trade in emission rights is superior to all forms of environmental taxes or charges that only benefit the environment at the expense of economic growth,” he adds.

SAS believes that when the debate on this proposal is conducted in the Council of Ministers and in the European parliament it will be important to take into account the scheme’s environmental effect and socio-economic impact. A suitable model should also take into consideration such factors as technological advances and the distances aircraft fly.
SAS has taken a leading role in aviation environment work for many years. Examples of such activities are contributing to research in biofuels and initiating a scheme for “green approaches” – a pilot project in Swedish domestic traffic.


SAS Group Corporate Communications