The negative impacts of air travel on the climate remain unregulated and often do not receive much coverage in the mainstream media. The European Commission explains that one problem with tackling airline emission responsibility is that ‘CO2 emissions from domestic flights are subject to emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol, but international flights are not’. The lack of regulation for international flights has resulted in a major greenhouse gas contributor slipping through the international regulatory cracks.
Yet airline travel has a significant impact on climate change. An Aviation and Global Climate Change study, from the UK-based Friends of the Earth, found air travel to be the world’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Their study indicates the world’s 16,000 commercial jet aircraft generate more than 600 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year. Perhaps most shocking is that ‘…aviation generates nearly as much CO2 annually as that from all human activities in Africa’.
By 2050 emissions from aircraft could be responsible for up to 15 % of total global warming produced by human activities.
Global Collaborative Effort Needed
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that by 2050 emissions from aircraft could be responsible for up to 15 % of total global warming produced by human activities. The European Commission reports their greenhouse gases from aviation could increase by 150% by 2012. Their report also concluded that ‘such growth would cancel out more than a quarter of the 8% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions that the Kyoto Protocol requires the EU-15 to achieve between 1990 and 2012’.
Currently many governments around the world are continuing to refuse to acknowledge the contribution of airline travel to climate change. In fact, most government officials regularly use more airline travel than an average citizen and continue to fly business or first class. An international effort is required to cap greenhouse gases producing through airline travel.
If you do have to fly, here are some tips to reduce your impact:
• Try to fly only during the daytime as a number of studies demonstrate that night flights are more damaging than daytime flights.
• Only fly economy as the more people on the plane means fewer emissions generated per person.
• Try to lose a bit of weight and/or pack very lightly. The heavier the plane, the more fuel burned and the more emissions created.
• If you must fly, purchase Gold Standard carbon offsets through your airline or another reputable company.
• Ask your airlines to consider offering carbon offsets for flights.
Carbon Emission Calculators
Carbon Calculators: http://www.terrapass.com/
Climate Care: http://www.climatecare.org/
Resources
David Suzuki Foundation: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/
Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/
Climate Action Network Europe: http://www.climnet.org/
Green Pages
Read Clearing the Air: The Myth and Reality of Aviation and Climate Change, a joint publication by the European Federation for Transport and Environment and the Climate Action Network Europe that brings together all the findings of recent studies on climate change and air travel: http://www.climnet.org/
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