A group of 26 nations opposing EU plans to tackle aviation emissions will reportedly discuss a 'basket of countermeasures' at a meeting in Moscow this week, raising the possibility of a global trade war over the controversial scheme.

The so-called 'coalition of the unwilling' previously called on Brussels to drop measures that require airlines to carry carbon allowances covering every tonne of CO2 they emit on flights in and out of EU airports during a summit in India last year.

But strengthened by a European Court ruling that the legislation does not conflict with international aviation treaties, the EU has insisted it will not back down and the scheme started as planned on 1 January this year.

In response, China has banned its airlines from taking part in the EU's emissions trading scheme (EU ETS), while the US is considering a bill that could do the same.

This week's two-day conference will now see countries, including the US, China, India, Japan and Russia, discuss how to coordinate their activities opposing aviation's inclusion in the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS).

According to a draft agenda for the meeting seen by several news agencies, diplomats will discuss an unspecified 'basket of countermeasures', undertake work on a letter to EU member states, and address 'application aspects of Article 84 of the Chicago Convention', which refers to a formal dispute procedure at the UN-backed International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The aviation industry has consistently called for a global solution to cutting emissions, which account for around three per cent of the global total, more than the UK's entire output, even though the sector adds just 0.7 per cent to global GDP.

But little has been achieved beyond non-binding targets for efficiency improvements, prompting the EU to take action unilaterally.

Connie Hedegaard, the EU's climate action commissioner, said last week that Brussels would be happy to sign up to a global solution if that programme was more ambitious than its own scheme, which it estimates will save around 183 million tonnes of CO2 each year by 2020.

'It's clear that the moment we have a global regime entering into force, something that we all agree to, then the EU legislation will not be relevant,' she told news agency Bloomberg, before challenging the countries meeting this week to find such a solution.

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