BBC Radio 4's 'The Moral Maze' debated an interesting issue this evening - whether or not the negative impact our summer holidays have on the environment outweighs the positive impact they have on our lives. A lot of us will be spending this summer in our home countries, our budgets hampered by the credit crunch, but the debate is no less relevant as we consider what we are prepared to sacrifice in the fight against climate change.

Many people argue in favour of large taxes on air fares, hoping that increased prices will put people off polluting the planet through flying. In reality however those who can afford to pay will and they will carry on polluting all the same. The only real impact will be that the less affluent will not be able to afford foreign holidays – which would clearly be wrong.

I have done a fair bit of travelling and I’m pretty familiar with the back of a Ryan Air seat. If it weren’t for low cost airlines I would never have been able to have afforded to go to all the places I have been lucky enough to visit. Travelling is one of the most enlightening things you can do and as many people as possible should be positively encouraged to do it. Increasing taxes on air fares makes it far more difficult for those of us with a very modest disposable income to spend time abroad or discover a new place.

Yes, we need to fight climate change. But we need to find more progressive ways of doing it - rather than taking a step backwards by once again making flying the privilege of the wealthy.