The Government does not believe air travel is 'the ultimate evil', according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, and travel, including aviation, should be 'guilt free'.
Mr Shapps made the comments as he discussed plans to reach net-zero emissions ahead of Boris Johnson returning to the Cop26 climate summit for 'transport day'.
His comments come amid criticism of people, including the Prime Minister, using planes for short journeys to attend Cop26.
Mr Shapps told The Telegraph: 'I believe, as Transport Secretary, that we can get to guilt-free travel in this country.
'There's been an idea that's been allowed to percolate that somehow if we're going to meet all these different carbon commitments we are going to need to get to the point where we all stay home, that travel is somehow something which attracts great guilt.
'It gets worse the further you travel, so flying is, of course, the ultimate evil, as it's presented, and that's just not what we believe as the British Government.'
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the British Government does not believe air travel is 'the ultimate evil' and travel, including aviation, should be 'guilt free'
He added any changes to the way we live our lives 'should not be the inability to go and visit you friends and family and do business'.
Boris Johnson is set to return to the climate summit's 'transport day', where a series of announcements on low carbon travel are due to be made.
The Prime Minister urged countries to 'pull out all the stops' ahead of returning to the Glasgow summit on Wednesday, as negotiators are set to scrutinise a first draft of a 'cover decision' - a negotiated outcome to the talks that aims to boost climate action.
Several transport aims have been drawn up, including that new heavy goods vehicles sold in the UK will need to be zero emissions by 2040.
Thirty countries have also agreed to work together to make zero emissions vehicles the new normal, and plans for
