APD increase currently enough
There will be no immediate increases in British taxes on aviation, Lord Adonis, the UK transport secretary said.
He told a conference in London that the rise in Air Passenger Duty (APD) in November would currently be enough for the airline industry's contribution to curbing global warming.
But Lord Adonis said it was possible there could be future rise in APD.
APD which raises £1.9bn a year for the UK Treasury, is due to rise from £10 to £11 per passenger for short haul trips. For long haul flights it will go up from £40 to £45 and for trips of more than 6,000 miles, it will increase carry an extra charge of £55 on top of the £45.
All the charges are due to rise again in 2010.
The minister was replying to questions as to whether the government planned aviation tax increases in the light of the advice of the Committee for Climate Change (CCC).
This said that aviation emissions must be capped.
The CCC said developed countries "will need to take the lead in making significant reductions in cutting aviation emissions."
It said these countries had to ensure levels are "no higher - and possibly lower - than 2005 levels in the period to 2050."
The advice was sent in a letter to Lord Adonis and to energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband.
The letter said that an "interim period where rising aviation emissions are offset by emissions reductions in other sectors would be feasible".
But it added: "Over time, however, aviation emissions growth will have to be constrained.
The CCC is an independent body set up under the UK's Climate Change Act to advise the government on emission targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in cutting emissions.
The advice comes ahead of the UN Summit on climate change due to held in Copenhagen in December.
The CCC told the government that aviation emissions should be capped either through a global agreement or by including them in national emission reduction targets.
But it said any deal should be "ambitious" and be "no less than that already agreed by the EU, which requires a 5% reduction in net emissions from 2013-2020."
The Committee also called for "radical innovation in engine, airframe and fuel technology" to help cut emission and that funding for this should be part of any deal.
David Kennedy, the CCC's ceo, said: "It is vital that an agreement capping global aviation emissions is part of a Copenhagen deal.
"We are calling for a cap that would not require people to fly less than today, but would constrain aviation emissions growth going forward.
"Such a cap together with deep emissions cuts in other sectors would limit the risk of dangerous climate change and the very damaging consequences for people here and in other countries that this would have."
The CCC said that cutting UK aviation emissions in 2050 to 2005 levels plus 90% emissions cuts in other sectors would achieve the required 80% emissions cut to which the UK is committed under the Climate Change Act.
www.theccc.org.uk www.dft.gov.uk