On March 1, easyJet published its Corporate and Social Responsibility Report which outlines its strong environmental credentials and includes three "promises" to help balance aviation's huge social and economic contribution with its impact on climate change.

Andy Harrison, easyJet Chief Executive, said:

"It's hard to see how anybody who has read the recent IPCC report and The Stern Review can deny that global warming is a clear and present danger and that this generation has a responsibility to take action now. Most within the aviation industry recognise that aviation pollutes and that we must improve the environmental efficiency of today's operations and work on tomorrow's technologies.

"It is time for a proper debate of the sort that has been largely missing of late. Given that aviation CO2 only accounts for 1.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, grounding every aircraft in the world would have a miniscule impact on climate change yet a vast impact on our economies. So, airlines have a responsibility to do what they can and governments have a responsibility to ensure that their policies incentivise the right behaviour.

"It is for this reason that easyJet has published its Environmental Code, which contains three promises - that easyJet will be efficient in the air, efficient on the ground and will help shape a greener future for the industry.

"The same business model which gives us low fares (new aircraft, high occupancy rates, direct flights) also gives us environmental efficiency in the skies - easyJet emits 27% fewer greenhouse gasses per passenger kilometre than a traditional airline on an identical route. In addition we recognise that we can and we will expect more of our ground suppliers at airports.

"We also intend to play a leading role in improving the future environmental performance of our industry - reforming Europe's famously-inefficient air traffic system, implementing a meaningful European emissions trading scheme, working on the next generation of aircraft, giving customers the most comprehensive range of environmental information available for travel to a particular destination, and helping them to offset the carbon emissions of their flight.

"I believe that we are on the cusp of major advances in aircraft and engine technologies which will lead to dramatic reductions in emissions, which have not yet been factored into the environmental forecasts about our industry.

"In the meantime airlines have an obligation to maximise their environmental efficiency (particularly by operating the cleanest available technology). For their part, Governments must ensure their policies balance the vast economic and social benefits of flying with its impact on climate change, particularly by mandating minimum environmental standards for aircraft to operate in Europe.

"Governments should also recognise that some airlines are already more efficient than others - something that the UK's Air Passenger Duty dramatically fails to do. APD provides no incentive for airlines to operate the cleanest aircraft; it completely omits airfreight and private jets; the proceeds are not allocated to any scheme to improve the environment; and it is disproportionate - on a UK domestic return flight, the 20 pounds APD is now 25% of the average fare and about 10 times the cost of off-setting the carbon emitted on an easyJet flight.

"Surely, it would be better to incentivise consumers to choose airlines, like easyJet, operating the cleanest aircraft available. In fact, last year we removed 22 older aircraft at a cost of over 275 million pounds as part of our drive for efficiency and in the coming four years we will buy 100 brand-new Airbus A319s - surely this substitution is the very definition of the "Green growth" that was foreseen in The Stern Review."

easyJet's Environmental Code contains three promises for a greener future. The first promise reflects easyJet's current environmental credentials; while the second and third outline the full and leading role that easyJet can play to improve the environmental performance of the industry.

1. easyJet strives to be efficient in the air

• Since 2000, easyJet's CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre has reduced by 18%;
• Each of easyJet's A319s carries 26% more seats than the norm and carries up to 57% more passengers per flight than the European norm meaning that the "typical" European airline operating an Airbus A319 would burn 27% more fuel per passenger;
• easyJet only operates direct point-to-point flights, without the wasteful "hubbing" operations associated with other European airlines; and
• Only 2% of easyJet's flights could be undertaken by city-centre to city-centre rail journeys in less than four hours. All London to Scotland routes are over four hours - if included, still less than 10% of our flights could be considered in any way substitutable by rail.

2. easyJet strives to be efficient on the ground

• easyJet's use of local, convenient airports connected to good, transport links means surface journeys are kept to a minimum. While at the airport, easyJet uses airport infrastructure efficiently with short dwell time, minimal use of ground equipment and prefers simple airport infrastructure.

3. easyJet aims to lead the way in shaping a greener future for aviation

• easyJet has long led the way in campaigning for the inclusion of aviation in the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme and on publication of the legislative proposal on December 20, 2006, called for ETS to be brought into "as wide as possible and as soon as possible" - anything else would be gesture politics;
• In addition, it is estimated that the implementation of the EU's Single European Skies programme could lead to a 12% reduction in flying distances by reducing the patchwork of European traffic control centres, which is why easyJet is actively engaged in the programmes to make SES a reality; and
• easyJet is actively engaging with airframe and engine manufacturers on the application of new technologies for the next generation of short-haul aircraft.