Greens laugh at Easyjet 'environment friendly' claim

Green Party unconvinced by Easyjet's "environmentally friendly" claims

The Chief Executive of Easyjet, Andy Harrison, has claimed that his company
is more environmentally friendly than other airlines because Easyjet fly new, small aircraft which are full to capacity with passengers, as opposed to old, large aircraft being flown half-empty. He also backs the proposed introduction of a carbon emissions trading scheme.

Keith Taylor, Green Party Principal Speaker, comments:
"Andy Harrison's plea to be seen as an environmental good guy is a joke. To say Easyjet are less worse than other airlines is no reason to champion them. All airlines are part of the carbon problem, and by continuing to promote aviation expansion the government is letting the country down and undermining attempts to reduce carbon emissions. 70% of EU flights are under 1000km and with trains capable of travelling at 300kph plus now is the time to expand a fast rail network. Trains are 19 times more carbon efficient than planes.

"The aviation industry is responsible for a fifteen per cent of UK carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to global climate change and aircraft also emit a range of pollutants with serious health effects including sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone (1). Companies which provide short-haul flights are possibly less excusable than long-haul flight providers as other less polluting forms of transport are available for shorter journeys such as trains and ferries.

"Harrison's claim that a tax on aviation fuel is a "distortion of the market" is laughable. Aviation is under-taxed compared to most sectors. Flight tickets, aircraft and aviation fuel are zero-rated for VAT. HM Treasury collects far less in air passenger duty per year than it forgoes due to VAT zero-rating of aviation products and loss of excise revenue. Aviation fuel pays no tax at all. Effectively, society is subsidising the aviation industry through a colossal tax-break of £9.2 billion a year. (2)

"It is time for the aviation industry to take responsibility for the pollution it is creating. Easyjet's interest in carbon trading schemes is encouraging but this does not involve actually attempting to reduce carbon emissions produced by airlines. It is evident that corporations lack the drive to self-regulate and we call upon the government to introduce a fair level of taxation for a maverick industry that has so far got off scot-free."

(1)The Independent, 'Cheap flights threaten UK targets for carbon
emissions', January 28, 2006, Martin Hickman
(2) Aviation Environment Federation report : 'The Hidden Cost of Flying',
February 2003.