Credible research shows that biofuels made from food crops results in more global warming than conventional fossil fuels and Branson who has sought to identify himself with Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore in recent times, in an attempt to promote himself as an environmentalist, found that the publicity value outweighed the climate change evidence.

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The Virgin Atlantic 747 flew from London to Amsterdam using a 20% biofuel mix of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks.

Sir Richard said the "historic" flight was the first step towards using biofuels on commercial flights.

The World Development Movement said on Sunday that even if all flights in the UK used biofuels, the reduction in British aviation's contribution to climate change would be cancelled out by one year's growth in flights.

Its Head of Policy, Pete Hardstaff, said: "This is nothing more than a Virgin publicity stunt with dangerous consequences for the planet.

"The concept of using bio-fuels and continuing the rate of expansion in the aviation industry is nonsensical.

"If Richard Branson is serious about combating climate change, instead of experimenting with biofuels, he should be backing the campaign to include aviation in the targets to reduce emissions in the Climate Change Bill.

"Biofuels are generally sourced from crops that displace the production of staple foods. Consequently, food prices are rocketing as those crops are diverted from food to fuel. If this pattern continues and expands, millions of people in the developing world will see the price of staple foods soar out of their reach."

Kenneth Richter, Friends of the Earth aviation campaigner, said: "Biofuels are a major distraction in the fight against climate change.

"There is mounting evidence that the carbon savings from biofuels are negligible. If Virgin was really serious about reducing the aviation industry's impact on the environment, it would support calls for aircraft emissions to be included in the Climate Change Bill."

Safety concerns mean that biofuel will not be used for aircraft in commercial service for at least five years.

On the Virgin flight, only 5% of the fuel used was biofuel. Concerns that the biofuel could freeze or cause the engine to underperform meant that it was restricted to supplying one engine partly. The other three engines ran on normal aviation fuel and were isolated from the tank that contained 20% biofuel and 80% normal fuel.

Dave Daggett, Boeing’s Project Manager for alternative fuels, said biofuel was unlikely to be certified for passenger service before 2013.

Trials of biofuels for airliners will use conventional, controversial feedstocks, it has been reported.

Speaking to Flight International at the Singapore Air Show last week, Dave Daggett confirmed that the Virgin biofuel trials this year would use ordinary feedstocks. However, a Virgin Atlantic representatives is reported to have claimed that it still "could be algae".

Branson said the oils used in the Virgin biofuel came from existing rainforest and derelict plantations, and did not compete with food supplies or cause deforestation. Speaking at at London Heathrow, he said: "What we are using today isn't going to be the fuel that we are using when we come to commercial use." He said it was more likely to be an algae, possibly made in sewage plants.