Hot Air

Compared with keeping Parliament Square free of demonstrators or ensuring that everyone's personal details are available to anyone who cares to pay for them, the problem of merely keeping the planet habitable is, of course, fairly insignificant. Hence the use by the environment minister, Ian Pearson, of tough language, rather than tough legislation, to deal with major airlines' lack of interest in cutting carbon emissions.

The attitude of the American airline industry is "completely irresponsible"; they are threatening to take the European Union to court if there is any attempt to impose a carbon trading scheme on transatlantic flights. Strangely, Ian Pearson does not appear to have taken advantage of the Special Relationship to rectify this regrettable situation. British Airways are "only just playing ball" by condescending to permit a carbon trading scheme covering only flights within Europe. Oddly, Ian Pearson does not appear to have considered demonstrating to British Airways that, by the rules of British fair play, those who refuse to play ball must leave the field. Ryanair are "not just the unacceptable face of capitalism, they are the irresponsible face of capitalism" although Ryanair, presumably, are simply trying to fulfil their obligations to their shareholders by turning as large a profit as they are able within the law. Amazingly, Ian Pearson does not appear to have considered changing the law to force Ryanair to act more acceptably and responsibly.

However, the minister is "determined to stand up to the intense lobbying by parts of the airline industry" by the tough, radical, forward-looking, instant and utter measure of "looking to bring the British airline industry on board for a voluntary industry-wide carbon offsetting scheme". That'll teach them.