Hedegaard said seeking a global approach to sustainability has been the EU's goal since day one. "Nobody wants an international framework tackling CO2 emissions from aviation more than we do," she said in a statement. "Our EU legislation is not standing in the way of this."

"On the contrary, our regulatory scheme was adopted after having waited many years for ICAO to progress," Hedegaard said, referring to the International Civil Aviation Organization. "Now it seems that because of some countries' dislike of our scheme, many countries are prepared to move in ICAO and even to move towards a market-based mechanism at [a] global level."

In a press release, the European government announced that it is no longer requiring airlines to submit their carbon allowances in April 2013 for emissions generated during 2012. Still, the EU hasn't completely killed off the scheme. Hedegaard said that if ICAO hasn't reached a global solution to lowering carbon emissions by next fall, the EU will move forward with the scheme.

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