Geoff Hoon defends choice to fly but warns of green cost

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

But the Transport Secretary admitted Britain and other countries faced a huge task in cutting aviation emissions as the number of flights grows. He also criticised jet-setting celebrities for opposing expansion.

"Let me be absolutely clear about my starting point - I believe it's right that people are free to make their own decisions about flying and travelling," he told a conference at the Royal Society in London.

But he also said: "The scale and urgency of what we are facing cannot be underestimated. Aviation is going to grow. At the same time, emissions have to shrink, and we have set ourselves tough targets."

Mr Hoon argued that the Government's role was to set national and international policies on aviation, through the European carbon trading scheme, but not to raise taxes on flying to limit the number of flights that people take.

Lord Turner, chairman of the Government's climate change committee, last month raised fears that a cap could be put on foreign holidays.

"We will have to constrain demand in an absolute sense, with people not allowed to make as many journeys as they could in an unconstrained manner," he said.

Mr Hoon believes cleaner aircraft will allow emissions to be significantly reduced andthat aviation will expand in the long-term.

"Just look at what happened in the previous recession in the early Nineties when after one year of negative growth in 1991, UK passenger demand bounced back," he said.