During CNN 's `` Going Green : Green Light for Business '' coverage , we 've asked businesses to tell us how they balance the imperative for profit with environmental concerns . Jonathan Breeze , the CEO of Jet Republic , tells CNN how he 's working to create a carbon neutral airline . LONDON , England -- The aviation industry is often perceived as one of the bad guys in the climate change debate . As a mode of transport , flying is regarded as being particularly polluting because of the amount of fuel used at high altitude . And , it is estimated to be responsible for around 3.5 percent of global greenhouse emissions . Jet Republic CEO Jonathan Breeze says it would be a mistake to let green initiatives in the airline industry fall by the wayside . The sector 's reputation was damaged further when it was excluded from the targets outlined in the Kyoto agreement , which was interpreted by some as an example of its disregard for the climate change issue . This is unfair because the industry has taken great strides to reduce its environmental impact . For example , over the last 30 years , it has achieved a 60 percent improvement in fuel efficiency . There is a great deal of research being undertaken by manufacturers into more efficient technologies and alternative fuels , while the Single European Sky initiative aims to improve flight planning across Europe to rationalize the amount of time an aircraft is in the sky . Practically everything we do in our everyday lives has a carbon cost attached to it , but aviation is an element that we believe has come in for an undue level of criticism , when in fact it is arguably working harder than most industries to address the issue of climate change . The reaction to this criticism from governments has been taxation . But making a special case of aviation fails to address the wider issues . Aviation fuel is carbon taxed , but why is this tax not applied on other types of fuel such as electricity and gas ? The additional revenue that would be generated could be ploughed back into green energy schemes and help deliver heightened efficiencies that our industry is already investigating . Punitive taxation , which is driving up the cost of air travel , will ultimately end up being absorbed by the operator or by passengers . This , coupled with the current economic downturn , represents a significant threat to progress in the aviation industry as it could lead to a stifling of innovation and development . Meeting the challenge of climate change costs money -- modernizing fleets with more efficient aircraft comes at a price . As an industry which has been hit hard by the downturn , some of these initiatives could fall by the wayside . To allow this to happen would be a grave mistake . We identified climate change as one area where we wanted to set the standard in the industry , and as a new entrant to the market we have been able to build a commitment to carbon neutrality into the heart of our business operations . It was a consideration in our choice of the Learjet 60 XR as the model of aircraft in our 110 strong fleet . The 60 XR is the most fuel-efficient midsize aircraft in the world , something it achieves by being built with light and strong modern materials , and flying higher and faster than other aircraft . It 's a perfect example of a win-win solution . We burn less fuel ; our customers enjoy lower pricing . Aircraft positioning is another important consideration that has an impact on the amount of fuel consumed ; our fleet is based all across Europe , to reflect where our clients are . The positions of our aircraft are carefully planned and managed so that the number of `` over flights '' -- that is legs where the aircraft is empty -- are kept to an absolute minimum . We wanted to be 100 percent carbon neutral from launch so we partnered with ClimateCare , one of Europe 's most experienced providers of carbon offsets , where each project is rigorously audited and monitored for quality . By comparison , under the European emissions trading scheme , which does n't take effect until 2012 , commercial airlines will only have to offset 15 percent of the carbon emissions they create . With the impact of aviation on climate change being widely reported , people are more conscious than ever about their carbon footprint when using air travel . While the overwhelming majority have not changed the amount they travel because of it , it is certainly becoming a more important consideration and people are asking more questions before traveling . We have found that our attitude towards mitigating the effect our business has on the environment has actually become a business benefit . Our competitive pricing structure includes a carbon offset charge , which is passed on , in its entirety , to ClimateCare . By acknowledging our responsibilities in the area of climate control and putting tangible measures in place , we have received considerable positive feedback from clients and business partners . We believe that Jet Republic is at the forefront of modern European business . If every company in Europe could run 100 percent carbon neutral , as Jet Republic does , the world would be a better place .
Jet Republic has teamed up with ClimateCare to become carbon neutral . Airline chose fleet of Learjet 60 XR partly because of its fuel efficiency . Aviation industry is responsible for 3.5 percent of global carbon emissions . Breeze : Airline industry unfairly criticized for failing to address climate change .