Climate change: EU official backs German Greens on curbing flights

The EU's top official on climate action has backed the German Greens' call for tax and pricing changes to make rail travel more popular than flying.

EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said "I support taxing kerosene like other fuels" and "nobody has to fly ten or twelve times a year".

In Germany, as in many other countries, jet fuel based on kerosene is exempt from energy taxes. 

Ms Baerbock is the Greens' candidate to replace Angela Merkel of the Christian Democrats (CDU) as chancellor. Mrs Merkel, now in her fourth term, became Germany's first woman chancellor in 2005, and is not running again.

He did not however back German Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock's call for a ban on short-haul flights.

The Greens' popularity has soared ahead of a September general election.