What do you do about flights these days? Are you trying to cut down on them, do you take into account shorter roots or more direct routes? Are you offsetting the carbon emissions of your flight in some way?
I have to be in London at the end of March. It’s for work and I have to be there. Initially, I wanted to travel by train, but the cheapest return ticket I found was 400 Euros. Sadly, I couldn’t afford it, so I had to opt for a flight ticket, which cost 120 Euros. Feeling extremely guilty after this purchase, I calculated my flight emissions. Spending some time with this carbon offset calculator, you will likely face some uncomfortable truths. I found out I will be dumping 0.519 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere for the Berlin-London round trip as a sole traveller covering 1900 km. And just like that, my contribution to climate change is nearly half a tonne. To put this into perspective, the maximum amount of CO2 that can be generated by a single person in a year is 0.600 tonnes. And here I am, nearing that maximum before even planning my summer holiday. It felt horrible. So, to clear my conscience, I’ve decided to buy an offset. (as one does!)
When you purchase an offset, carbon emissions are decreased elsewhere, balancing out those from your flight. This is my way of easing my guilt and trying to lessen my flight’s impact on the environment. There are numerous offset choices available. For instance, it could involve supplying more efficient stoves for women in Kenya or aiding small farmers in Nicaragua with reforestation efforts. I don’t feel entirely good about this, but I don’t know what else I can do. Then again, those who benefit from the offset might not be the same people harmed by the flight, but when it comes to climate, we should care (at least a bit) about the total amount of carbon in the air. So, a focus on total emissions does seem at least partly correct about the environment.
But offsets can be tricky, and they’ve caused a lot of arguments. Some of the schemes are run by profit-making companies, and there’s no standard certification to show which ones are worthwhile. Plus, there’s a big question about whether paying to pollute means I won’t bother to change my ways. (This is the part I don’t feel good about)
The writer and environmentalist George Monbiot famously compared carbon offsetting to the sale of mediaeval Catholic indulgences, where the rich could buy themselves out of sin. In his article in The Guardian, he argues, ‘By selling us a clean conscience, the offset companies are undermining the necessary political battle to tackle climate change at home. They are telling us we don’t need to be citizens; we need only to be better consumers.’
As a big fan of Monbiot, I wouldn’t dare to disagree with him, but I also believe it’s important to learn how to be a better consumer. I’m definitely not wealthy and genuinely doing my best to reduce my carbon footprint. However, it’s not always feasible to afford train tickets.
Why Are Trains Often More Expensive Than Planes?
Trains are more expensive than planes because the aviation industry is one of the most undertaxed and heavily subsidised sectors of many economies worldwide.
Aviation makes up around 3 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but it’s mainly down to a small group of people: just 1 per cent of the global population is accountable for half of the aviation emissions, as reported by the European NGO Transport & Environment. (Read this again) Flights are the highest-emitting form of transport, causing about five times as many greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre compared to train travel.
Almost 80 per cent of the routes are run by budget airlines. These airlines gain an advantage by not paying duty on aviation fuel (kerosene) and being exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) on flight tickets. So if air travel and trains were taxed fairly and based on their CO2 emissions, trains would be unbeatably affordable.
How Can We Achieve This?
There should be stringent environmental regulations imposed on the aviation industry, including emissions standards and targets. This would guarantee accountability for airlines regarding their carbon footprint and encourage investment in cleaner fuels and technologies.
Switching to sustainable fuel is crucial for achieving “jet zero” flying by 2050. However, there is currently no single, straightforward alternative to traditional fuel. Experts suggest that the exact impact of each alternative fuel on reducing the climate effects of flying is still uncertain. In the future, a successful alternative fuel will likely be developed, but this will require redesigning aeroplanes and airports. There needs to be increased funding for research into sustainable aviation fuel.
Until Then: What Can We Do?
Firstly, we can make our flights count. (Something we should do before thinking about buying offset projects) We can lean into slow travel instead of impulsively hopping on a flight for a weekend break. By planning better and opting for longer stays, we can reduce our carbon footprint. Booking train tickets in advance can also lead to cheaper deals. We can try to avoid domestic flights where possible, which is crucial. France serves as a good example, having recently banned domestic flights on routes where train travel takes less than two and a half hours. We can measure our carbon footprint every time we want to buy a plane ticket. It’s enlightening to measure the carbon emissions of our flights, as it raises awareness of their environmental impact. Understanding the problem is the first step towards solving it.
And finally, if you happen to have your own private jet, well, I’m sure the ozone layer has a few choice words reserved just for you!