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Sweden looks to tax airlines over climate change

Xinhua, November 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Swedish government on Thursday announced it will look into ways to tax the aviation industry to reduce its carbon emissions.

A new inquiry will explore how a new tax on flights could reduce the climate footprint of airlines, the country's finance ministry said in a statement.

The new tax should be designed to "encourage consumers to choose environmentally friendly options," the statement read, while prompting the industry to opt for "more effect transport and lessened impact on the climate."

The inquiry will present its findings by late November next year.

Sweden has previously committed to making all vehicles in the country "independent of fossil fuels" by 2030 through a transition to renewable fuels and hybrid cars.

In March, Sweden's environment ministry stated that the upcoming climate negotiations in Paris must result in an agreement that keeps global warming "as far below" 2 degrees Celsius as possible. Endit