In an exclusive interview, Richard Branson, head of the global Virgin Atlantic Airways, explains what sparked his mission to develop a “clean fuel” to replace the conventional “dirty fuels” that are currently “destroying our planet.”

The British-born entrepreneur says he has put 100 % of his airline’s profits toward “coming up with a fuel that can actually tackle global warming.” By next year, Branson hopes to fly a 747 on “clean fuel” alone.

Mentioning Sweden’s statement that it will eradicate all carbon emissions by 2020, Branson calls on the rest of the global community to “whip the problem.” Can the on-the-ground citizen spur along global warming solutions? “It’s doable,” says Branson. “We need something much bolder.”