Air travel mars UK’s green strategy

Greenhouse gas emissions from UK air travel has doubled in 13 years, damaging the government’s claims to be a world leader in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics published yesterday show that total UK greenhouse gas emissions fell by 8.1% between 1990 and 2003, considerably less than the 13.4% fall claimed by the Department of the Environment. Nearly all the gains come from the closing of the coal mines under the Conservative government, and the switch from coal to gas for electricity generation.
Another figure that will concern the government is that imports of fossil fuels rose by 7m tonnes to a record 238m tonnes in 2003 as production from the North Sea fell.

One way the government has managed to stem energy demand has been by taxes, the most controversial being the fuel escalator introduced by the Tory government. Revenue on vehicle fuel rose from