BA has launched a new scheme - backed by the government - to enable its customers to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from their flight by making a contribution to an environmental trust.

The money raised by British Airways will be used by Climate Care to invest in sustainable energy projects that tackle global warming by reducing carbon dioxide levels.

For example, the donation on a return flight from London Heathrow to Madrid will cost £5 and a return flight from London Heathrow to Johannesburg will cost £13.30.

Climate Care’s projects include a scheme in South Africa that has distributed 50,000 energy efficient lamps this year via school groups as part of an environmental awareness campaign. In India, Climate Care’s support means schools are able to use stoves that run on renewable energy briquettes made from crop waste rather than liquid petroleum gas.

Environment minister Elliot Morley said, "While offsets are not a substitute for international action on reducing emission levels, I welcome warmly this move from BA which will help its customers offset some of the environmental impacts of air travel."

British Airways says it has improved its global fuel efficiency by 27 per cent since 1990 and is the only airline participating in the UK government’s trial emissions trading scheme.

Tom Morton, director of Climate Care said, "British Airways has long been a leader in the aviation industry in terms of the environment and we are very pleased that it has taken the step of enabling its customers to offset their carbon dioxide emissions."

Air travellers can choose to make a donation from this week via a link from the airline’s website, ba.com, for the cost of the emissions created by their journey.