France is introducing an “eco-tax” from about $1.68 up to $20 on all plane tickets for flights out of the country by 2020, a French official announced Tuesday.
“We have decided to put in place an eco-tax on all flights from France,” Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne told reporters during a news conference, according to the Independent.
She added that the tax is expected to raise around $202 million annually from 2020, which would be allocated to France’s infrastructure agency in order to finance other forms of eco-friendly daily transportation, such as local trains.
Exceptions to the tax include connection flights in France and domestic flights to Corsica and France’s overseas territories.
Air France released a statement Tuesday “strongly” opposing the policy because it will limit the company financially at a time when it is trying to “strengthen its investment capacity to more rapidly reduce its environmental footprint.”
“France is one of the countries with the most heavily-taxed air transport industry in Europe,” the statement continued.
“These taxes are in addition to the particularly high burden of employer payroll taxation on airlines, whereas Air France’s activity contributes 1.1% of French national GDP, generates more than 350,000 jobs and Air France is the leading private-sector employer in the Paris region.”
Climate Action Network’s transport and climate policy officer Lorelei Limousin told Reuters Tuesday, “The government is finally targeting tax breaks for the most polluting industries such as trucking and airlines, but these modest measures will not significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The move comes after the European Union announced that CO2 emissions from aviation are expected to increase.
“Direct emissions from aviation account for about 3% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions and more than 2% of global emissions,” the European Commission website states.
“By 2020, global international aviation emissions are projected to be around 70% higher than in 2005, and … by 2050 they could grow by a further 300-700%.”
In 2016, the U.N. Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed to a carbon reduction plan that aims to lower CO2 emissions by requiring airlines to start monitoring and offsetting their carbon emissions in 2020.
“During the period 2021-2035, and based on expected participation, the scheme is estimated to offset around 80% of the emissions above 2020 levels,” the Commission’s website explains.
Shares in French airlines fell Tuesday after the country announced its eco-tax plan, with Air France down 5.2%, Ryanair down 4.8%, easyJet down 4% and Lufthansa down nearly 3%, Reuters reported.
Earlier this year and in 2018, France erupted in large “Yellow Vest” protests organized by demonstrators who opposed French President Emmanuel Macron’s “pro-green” plan to increase taxes on gas and diesel.
Read more at Daily Caller
Just another stupid tax for everyone to pay so they can come up with realy stupid ideas France is setting some bad examples and why Trump pulling America out of the Paris Accord wasa good idea no matter what we have heard from the Democrats the Eco-Nazis/Watermelons and the lie a day M.S. Media and the New York Pravda(Times) and the CNN or Fake News Network
Socialist pickpockets at the airports.
Socialist pickpockets at the airports. Qu’elle surprise.
Socialist pickpockets at the airports. Who is surprised?
The amount of co2 in the atmosphere is 400 ppm, that’s 0,04%. Our part is a mere 4% of that, so 16 ppm or 0,0016%.
Aviation is 3% of our total co2 emissions. That’s 0,48 ppm or 0,000048% of the atmosphere.
Tell me again, France, what kind of effect will reducing your amount of co2 have?
Or is just about (tax) money?
This isn’t the only example where something that is already heavily taxed is target for additional taxes because of the climate change fraud. Washington State, against the will of the people, passed a gasoline tax making Washington one of the worst for such taxes in the nation. According to the theory of reducing emissions with taxes, that tax increase should have done it. But not so, Governor Jay Inslee wanted more taxes to fight climate change. This just shows that one of the main reasons for the climate change fraud is an excuse for new taxes.
If Frances “eco-tax” on airlines follows what I have read the activists want to do, it will increase continuously without end. That will eventually impact tourism and cancel the money collected from the tax.
Stop and think a minute. There are very few valid reasons to fly anywhere. Isolated distant islands or severe medical reasons, nothing else. Holidays? Nope. Staycation. Funeral? Send a flower or e-mail. Business meetings can all be held via internet, same with politicians. Tens of thousands of enviro-fascists do NOT have to travel to nice warm resorts to congratulate each other. Internet.
There should be a 25% climate tax, to be increased by 5% yearly.