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British Airways to offset carbon emissions from UK flights

The airline’s parent company IAG has also committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

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British Airways aircraft

British Airways says it will become the first UK airline to offset carbon emissions on all its domestic flights.

From January 2020, the carrier will invest in carbon reduction projects around the world to offset emissions from its flights within the UK.

The airline operates up to 75 flights a day between London and 10 other UK cities, generating around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

The projects being supported include those involving renewable energy, rainforest protection and reforestation.

British Airways’s parent company IAG has also committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The group claimed it can achieve this target through environmental initiatives such as investing more than 400 million dollars (£327 million) in the development of sustainable aviation fuels over the next 20 years.

British Airways chief executive Alex Cruz said: “British Airways is determined to play its part in reducing aviation’s CO2 emissions.

“To solve such a multi-faceted issue requires a multi-faceted response and this initiative further demonstrates our commitment to a sustainable future.

“It also follows our announcement to partner with renewable fuels company, Velocys, to build a facility which converts household and commercial waste into renewable sustainable jet fuel to power our fleet.”

The airline is inviting passengers on non-domestic flights to “reduce their impact on the environment” through carbon offsetting.

It offers a tool which calculates emissions, resulting in a flight from London to Madrid in economy costing £1 to offset, while London to Los Angeles in business comes with a £24 fee.

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