- How European countries can help rid of carbon emissions by 2030
- What kind of aircrafts will be used By 2030 that dont use fuel at all
Private jet flights departing from the UK and France emit more CO2 than 20 other European countries combined. The two countries together account for nearly 40% of private jet emissions in Europe, and six of the 10 most polluting routes for private aviation in Europe arrive or depart from London airports. Carbon emissions from private jets on the continent increased by nearly a third (31%) between 2005 and 2019, according to the report from the European NGO and the Transport & Environment (T&E) campaign group. Research also found that CO2 emissions from the use of private jets have increased faster than those from commercial flights. Despite the climate impact of private jets, they are untaxed in most European countries due to exemptions from the EU Carbon Pricing System (EU ETS) and untaxed kerosene. T&E calculates that a jet fuel tax applied in proportion to flight distances could bring in € 325 million if applied to all flights departing from the EU and UK, and the report suggests that the revenue generated could be used to accelerate the decarbonisation of the aviation sector.
“The upside is that the private jet market is perfectly suited to help create the Tesla moment of aviation, making hydrogen and electric planes a reality.”
By 2030, regulators should only allow the use of green hydrogen or electric powered airplanes for private jet flights of less than 1,000 km in Europe. Until a ban in 2030, a combination of an effective price on carbon, jet fuel, and flight taxes should be imposed on fossil-fueled private jets, based on flight distance and aircraft weight, to take into account their disproportionate climate impact. Businesses and individuals should commit to drastically reducing the use of private jets. As new technologies emerge, flights should be banned where there are alternatives that do not increase travel time by more than 2.5 hours.
