Airlines savaged over environment

A minister has launched an outspoken attack on the airline industry over failure to tackle carbon emissions.

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Environment Minister Ian Pearson said budget airline Ryanair was the "irresponsible face of capitalism".

He singled out US airlines' attitude to cutting emissions as "a disgrace".

The EU is to include airlines in its carbon trading scheme, which will see them pay for exceeding their current level of emissions.

Flights within Europe will come under the jurisdiction of the Emissions Trading Scheme by 2011.

The scheme would be expanded from 2012 to include all international flights that arrive at or depart from an EU airport.

Airlines would be issued with pollution permits - those that cut emissions would be able to sell their surplus while an airline that increased its emissions would have to buy more permits.
Ryanair has opposed efforts to control carbon emissions in this way, saying a trading scheme would discriminate against low-cost airlines.

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