"The industry must do everything it can to ensure that the contribution to worldwide carbon dioxide emissions by air transport does not increase from two to three percent as planned," Gallois told a press conference.

"Starting in 2008 Airbus will increase its budget for research and technology by 25 percent" as part of an effort to ensure that by 2020 all new Airbus aircraft will emit half the amount of carbon dioxide released at present.

Airbus currently spends 350 million euros (466 million dollars) on research and technology.

Gallois said that in the manufacturer's industrial and production operations the goal is also to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2020 and to cut energy consumption by 30 percent.

He called on Boeing and other aerospace players to take part in a meeting in the next few months to discuss environmental issues confronting the aviation industry.

"I call on our partners, our suppliers and our competitors to forge a common vision on how to become a green industry, for new ideas will only spring from a common effort by all the key players.

"I include our competitor Boeing in this appeal," he said.

The European Union's top industry official Guenter Verheugen, who was present at the news conference, welcomed the Airbus commitment.

"There is no contradiction between competitiveness and high ecological criteria," he said.

On Wednesday the EU executive approved a draft proposal on "clean skies" aimed at reducing aircraft emissions and noise.

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