Issues

An international vs. domestic approach to U.S. aircraft emission regulation policy

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) labeled greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft as a serious danger to human health. Given that the United States is responsible for one-third of the world’s air- craft emissions, U.S. aviation-emissions policies will have a large impact on global greenhouse gas levels. According to the Energy Information Administration, American travelers use approximately six times as much jet fuel as the average world citizen. Whether the U.S. will produce a national standard of aircraft emissions or attempt to form a regulatory policy on an international level remains to be seen. In an industry that crosses international borders millions of times on a daily basis, a country-by-country approach may prove both impractical and ineffective. However, a regulatory policy that applies solely to U.S. domestic flights is being considered as a worthwhile first step. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/06/10/epa-airlines-greenhouse-gas-emissions-a4a-iata-icao/28487755/.

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