The French government wants new EU executives to push for an end to the global tax exemption for jet fuel to reduce CO2 emissions but has dismissed opposition calls for a ban on some domestic flights to encourage train travel. The 1944 Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation exempts kerosene from taxation, but environmental activists say the aviation fuel should be taxed to reduce air travel and limit the emissions that are causing global temperatures to rise. French “Yellow vest” protesters demonstrating against President Emmanuel Macron’s economic reforms have demanded higher taxes on airline travel and jet fuel, rather than hiking taxes on diesel for automobiles. “Under the 1944 convention there can be no tax on kerosene in any country in the world, but this was introduced at a time when climate change and greenhouse gases were not an issue,” Environment Minister Francois de Rugy said. “That convention needs to be changed, it is a priority that we will want to see for the next European Commission,” he said. A new Commission is due to take office in November after European Parliament elections in May saw Europe’s Green parties make their strongest showing. Earlier attempts by the EU to tax CO2 emissions by airlines have not succeeded. A 2011 proposal that would have forced airlines to buy carbon emission permits for flights in and to the EU foundered over resistance from China and other countries.<br/>
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Aviation safety agencies around the world are rushing to draw up regulations for flying taxis, with a wave of companies promising to be ready to launch services within the next five to 10 years. In Europe, aviation regulator EASA said it was preparing a set of tests to ensure the safety of both the vehicles and the software that will run them. It said its approach to flying taxis, which is at an early stage, would cover operations and maintenance, the competence of operators, noise pollution, and making sure that the software used by the taxis is scrutinised “with the level of robustness needed”. “This new certification approach would allow EASA to understand how the software behaves in different circumstances,” it said. In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority has set up a virtual space where flying taxi companies can test their technology, while China’s regulator has authorised five companies to explore airworthiness standards and certification by the end of the year. The market for transporting humans around cities could be worth $674bn by 2040, according to a 2018 study by bank Morgan Stanley, and transport company Uber wants to launch an “Uber Air” aerial ride-sharing network by 2023. There are more than 170 companies developing aircraft powered by electricity, consultancy Roland Berger found earlier this year, half of which are for urban air taxis. Manufacturers say that the first air taxis will have human pilots, before they create artificial intelligence powerful and safe enough to fly the aircraft by itself.<br/>