Ryanair’s Chief Executive, Michael O Leary has been hitting back about criticisms that the airline industry are irresponsible when it comes to CO2 emissions.

In response to being called, “the irresponsible face of capitalism” over its stance on climate change, Michael O’Leary suggested that old aircraft should be penalised as should business class passengers and also connecting travellers, the latter referring to indirect, environmentally inefficient journeys.

He said business class travellers were paying only a fraction of the cost of their expensive tickets, compared with UK plans to charge 10 pounds (US$19.38) on Ryanair flights where the average fare is 28 pounds.

As a final parting shot, Ryanair’s chief called for an end to “environmental hysteria” in British politics and media which he blamed for exaggerating the role of aviation in CO2 emissions. He acknowledged that global warming was an issue but said that the industry contributes less than 2 percent of global CO2 emissions.

Even the UK’s Prime Minster Tony Blair has been caught up in the row over his refusal to give up long-haul holiday flights in the interests of saving the planet. Naturally, Mr O’Leary said Blair was “absolutely right to keep flying”.

Then, Mr O Leary recently announced at a press conference that increases in airline taxes aimed at helping reduce greenhouse gases should be repealed as greenhouse gases were not the real reason for the increase in taxes and demanded an explanation from the Treasury about how it plans to use the extra £1bn in revenue that will be raised. ‘Gordon Brown won’t spend any of this money on the environment. He is just using the environment to steal more taxes from ordinary passengers,’ O’Leary claimed. Some truth in this?

Environmentalism has become a political hot potato these days – what do you think? E-mail the Beetle and let her know and we will publish your views and thoughts.