The European Union has decided to tax airline flights in order to combat global warming... or simply create another tax. The Russian response [via Benny Peiser]:
Russia is considering limits on European flights over Siberia as countries approve possible retaliatory measures against the European Union's move to force airlines to pay for carbon emissions. “We intend to get the EU's carbon trading measures either canceled or postponed,” said Okulov, who was previously chief executive officer of OAO Aeroflot, Russia's biggest airline. Russia reserves the right to reject requests from EU carriers that seek to increase flights through Siberian airspace, giving preference to Asian airlines, Okulov said. --Bloomberg, 22 February 2012The correct response is a carbon tax on purchases of Russian natural gas by EU countries. Fight silliness with silliness.