13.1.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 8/3 DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2008/101/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 November 2008 amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE (2)  The ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, G) Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1)  Directive 2003/87EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community (%) established a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community in order to promote reductions of greenhouse gas (4) emissions in a cost-effective and economically efficient manner. () O] C 175, 27.7.2007, p. 47. () O] C 305, 15.12.2007, p. 15. (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 13 November 2007 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 18 April 2008 (O] C 122 E, 20.5.2008, p. 19) and Position of the European Parliament of 8 July 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 24 October 2008. () O] L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32. Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which was approved on behalf of the European Community by Council Decision 94/69/EC (°), is to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The European Council meeting in Brussels on 8 and 9 March 2007 underlined the vital importance of achieving the strategic objective of limiting the global average temperature increase to not more than 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. The latest scientific findings reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its Fourth Assessment Report demon- strate even more clearly that the negative impacts of climate change are increasingly posing a serious risk to ecosystems, food production and the attainment of sustainable development and of the Millennium Develop- ment Goals, as well as to human health and security. Keeping the 2 °C objective within reach requires stabili- sation of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in line with about 450 ppmv CO, equivalent, which requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak within the next 10 to 15 years and substantial global emission reductions to at least 50 % below 1990 levels by 2050. The European Council emphasised that the European Union is committed to transforming Europe into a highly energy-efficient and low greenhouse gas-emitting economy and, until a global and comprehensive post- 2012 agreement is concluded, made a firm independent commitment for the EU to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to at least 20 % below 1990 levels by 2020. The limitation of greenhouse gas emissions from aviation is an essential contribution in line with this commitment. () O] L 33, 7.2.1994, p. 11.