BRUSSELS, April 6 (TASR) – The European Commission (EC) has proposed to label some aviation investments as green after months of wrangling over whether to add the sector to the EU’s list of sustainable investments. The commission said the rules should encourage the aviation sector to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the near future, but its proposal to label some aircraft as green immediately drew criticism from environmental activists. The decision has also divided opinion within the commission, with some officials pushing to add aviation investments if they meet strict environmental standards and others opposed to giving the climate-friendly badge to a sector with a high carbon footprint. In a proposal published on Wednesday, the commission said certain investments in air transport leasing, manufacturing, passenger and cargo flights would be added to the taxonomy and classified as helping to fight climate change. The rules set out detailed environmental criteria that any economic activity must meet.

Kate Abnett