China no longer participating in first phase of international aviation emissions deal

China has cooled to a landmark deal to curb emissions from international flights, with the country no longer listed as a participant in the agreement’s first phase, according to the ICAO. China does not appear on a June 29 list of participants in the voluntary phase of the deal brokered by the ICAO in 2016, according to ICAO’s website. Aviation powerhouse China was included in previous lists. It is not clear why China now objects to the deal. The first or pilot phase begins in 2021. Environmentalists say China’s participation is vital for the 2016 Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation deal, which requires airlines to limit their emissions or offset them by buying carbon credits from designated environmental projects around the world. <br/>