Airlines, car dealers, power companies and petrol stations would have to ask customers to pay a green levy under plans outlined by MPs today.

Taxi companies, diesel train operators and sellers of patio heaters would also fall foul of a law aimed at businesses that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. Customers will be able to opt out of paying the extra amount destined for projects to stop global warming, such as planting trees and erecting windmills.

The levy for a return flight to New York would be about £10. For a household’s annual fuel it would be £40 and for a return train journey from Birmingham to Newcastle, 50p.

The all-party Environmental Audit Committee, in a new report, calls for more Britons to “offset” their carbon emissions by paying to reduce equivalent pollution elsewhere in the world. As well as neutralising the increase in the main gas blamed for global warming, MPs believe that offsetting helps to educate people about their “carbon footprint”. Tim Yeo, the committee chairman and former Tory Environment Minister, told The Times: “Aviation is the prime example. That’s the start. Transport generally; taxi companies is a good idea.”

Land Rover is already voluntarily offering new car buyers the chance to offset their first 45,000 miles of carbon emissions by paying a levy to Climate Care, the offsetting company.

“There’s a fair case for saying it could be extended,” Mr Yeo said. To warn people of the impact of high-emission vehicles, he suggested that “cars above the industry average could have a compulsory offset”.

Radio Taxis, the London cabbies, became the first “carbon-neutral” fleet two years ago by offsetting 24,000 tonnes of CO2 to pay for forestry and renewable energy.

At petrol stations, “if you are buying fuel which has a high carbon footprint, that would be another absolutely ideal opportunity,” Mr Yeo said. Domestic heating? “Some people are able to buy from renewable sources. Those who don’t are being reminded of the carbon consequences.”

Even journeys on nonelectric trains could be targeted. “People are generally becoming a bit more discerning. For the most part, trains are better than flying but there are different types of train that will achieve different impacts. We have been very critical of products like patio heaters. Somebody who buys a patio heater ought to be aware of the emissions.”

The Government is proposing to require all air tickets sold in Britain to include the cost of an offset. Customers would have the right to refuse to pay the supplement. But the MPs urged Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, to impose offsetting on all the most polluting industries.

Fewer than 2 per cent of consumers are offsetting their carbon. The market is worth less than £3 million and its growth is tiny. Offsetting is attacked by some environmentalists, who compare it to the medieval selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church to pardon sinners. After HSBC claimed to be carbon neutral, it increased its monthly emissions by 13 per cent. When Barclays Bank was encouraging its customers to offset, its own emissions continued to rise.

Companies that will help you to offset your carbon footprint

— The CarbonNeutral Company supports renewable energy and plants trees helping companies to offset their emissions

— Climate Care invites individuals to offset carbon emitted by their flights, car journeys, domestic power use and honeymoons. It funds aid projects

— The Carbon Line supports energy efficiency in schools

— Moor Trees, on Dartmoor, invites offsetters to plant trees themselves

— Forest Carbon is helping to to offset Marks & Spencer’s furniture deliveries by planting woods in Dumfriesshire and Northumberland

— Carbon Clear offsets the lifetime carbon emissions from a baby’s disposable nappies for £4.88

— Air passengers can plant trees in Wales and Peru with a donation to the Treeflights website

Sources: Environmental Audit Committee; CarbonNeutral Company, Climate Care

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