Photo Credit: Paul Miller/AP

Australia's flagship Qantas Airways Ltd. and its popular budget carrier Jetstar have launched a program allowing passengers to offset the carbon dioxide emissions their flights cause.

The scheme allows travelers to calculate the per-passenger emissions of their flights and buy carbon dioxide credits that would be paid to a variety of environmental projects, the airline said in a statement. 

A flight from Australia to Los Angeles generates around 1.4 tons of greenhouse gases per passenger, which the airline says can be offset by paying about $14.50 (U.S. currency) per flight.

The money would be spent on government-approved carbon dioxide abatement schemes, including grants for renewable energy sources, tree-planting projects and improvements to energy efficiency.

The aviation industry accounts for about 2 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions and has come under increasing pressure from environmental campaigners.

Qantas and Jetstar are the latest airlines to join the rush to improve their green credentials. Australia's second-largest carrier, Virgin Blue, launched a similar program earlier this year. 

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