China protests EU shipping carbon tax

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

　　Chinese Foreign Ministry⁵ spokesman Hong Lei made the appeal at a regular press briefing in response to a question regarding the EU Commission's plan to impose carbon emissions tax on sea transportation from June this year.

　　"China, like many other countries, is firmly opposed to the EU's unilateral legislation on carbon tax," Hong said. "The truth is that the unilateral move is unpopular, and is unlikely to meet the EU's expectations."

　　He said the carbon tax issue on air and sea transportation should be solved within a multilateral framework through thorough consultation⁶.

　　"[The settlement of the issue] should not be separated from the legal framework of the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol⁷. Meanwhile, it should not violate the principle of 'common but differentiated⁸ responsibilities' and fair spirit," the spokesman said.

　　Hong urged the EU side to commit itself to solving the matter instead of complicating⁹ it.

　　On Jan. 1 this year, the EU began charging airlines using EU airports for carbon emissions based on its Emission¹ Trading Scheme (ETS).

　　Under the scheme, it is estimated that around 4,000 airlines will pay the EU for pollution permits, rendering¹⁰ the ETS one of the widest-reaching emission-regulative measures adopted by any country or regional bloc.

　　The move aroused strong opposition¹¹ from many governments. A total of 29 countries signed a joint¹² declaration in Moscow on Feb. 22 opposing the EU's carbon tax plan.

　　The declaration specifies¹³ a variety of measures intended to be used against the ETS, including allowing any country to introduce measures in line with national laws to either completely scrap¹⁴ the ETS or postpone¹⁵ it.

分享到：