Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

More private jets took off from UK than any other European country in 2022, study finds

More private jets took off from UK than any other European country in 2022, study finds

The UK can claim the most flights and the most emissions as well as the busiest and most carbon-intensive routes, aviation experts said.
More private jets took off from the UK than any other country in Europe in 2022 - with one leaving every six minutes, according to research commissioned by Greenpeace.

Last year saw a surge in private jet use to 90,256 flights, causing half a million tonnes of CO2.

The UK can claim the most flights and the most emissions as well as the busiest and most carbon-intensive routes, the aviation experts said.

The route between London and Paris - for which there is also the option of travelling by rail, with Eurostar running trains between 10 and 15 times a day - was the most popular, with 3,357 flights last year.

The most polluting route was between Farnborough and Blackbushe airports in Hampshire - a distance of fewer than five miles which Google Maps says can be walked in just over an hour-and-a-half.

Thirteen flights were made on this route which produced 23 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to driving around 50,000 miles, the research found.

Researchers said these flights were likely to have been made for positioning - when an aircraft is moved to another airport to begin its primary flight.

There were also 1,343 flights between Farnborough - which describes itself as the "business gateway to Europe and beyond"- and various London airports through 2022.

Dutch environmental consultants CE Delft carried out the research using data from aviation analytics company Cirium.

They analysed private jet traffic across Europe in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and found there were 1,041,640 flights in total, causing 5,377,851 tonnes of CO2 - equal to the entire annual emissions of Leeds.

The analysis also showed that after a drop in private jet use in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, its popularity rose again and exceeded 2019 levels once travel restrictions were lifted.

Flights increased still further in 2022 from 350,078 to 572,806, with the associated CO2 more than doubling to over 3.3 million tonnes.

Greenpeace is calling for a ban on private jets. The global environmental campaign group said 39% of the flights made across Europe last year were considered "very short haul", less than 500km, and therefore easily navigable by train.

Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, said: "Private jets are staggeringly polluting and generally pointless. Many of these journeys can be covered almost as quickly by train, and some of them by bicycle.

"Millions of people around the world are facing climate chaos, losing livelihoods or worse, while a tiny minority are burning jet fuel like there's no tomorrow."

Max Thrower, of the Aviation Environment Federation, a group that campaigns on aviation's environmental impacts, said: "Flying by private jet is the most carbon-intensive way to travel and it's unacceptable that people continue to do it unnecessarily in the midst of a climate emergency.

"The fact it continues suggests that the super-rich are laughing in the faces of normal people, who are becoming increasingly concerned about their carbon footprint from flying."

He called for a government crackdown through measures such as an increased tax on private jets, which has been considered recently in France, or by setting a deadline for private planes to be zero emission or face a ban.

A spokesperson from the Department for Transport said: "We are committed to decarbonising aviation, and our jet zero strategy sets out how we can achieve net zero emissions from UK aviation by 2050, without directly limiting demand.

"The UK's sustainable aviation fuels programme is one of the most comprehensive in the world, and our £165m advanced fuel fund is kickstarting production. Meanwhile, our recent reforms to the tax on air passengers will ensure those who fly private jets or fly the furthest contribute the most to the public purse.

"The UK is decarbonising faster than any other G7 country, and we remain committed to reaching net zero by 2050 while growing the economy and supporting hundreds of thousands of well-paid green jobs."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
EU Hits TikTok with €530 Million Fine Over China Data Transfers
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
U.S. and Ukraine Poised to Sign Strategic Critical Minerals Deal Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
How do you fix this culture?
Corrupted from Within: How Deep State Power and Unelected Judges Hijacked Democracy Against the Will of the People
President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky just held an impromptu discussion on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.
World Leaders Gather in Rome for Pope Francis's Funeral
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
Greek Christians Celebrate Easter in Thessaloníki
US Federal Reserve Chair Issues Warning on Tariff Impact
China, China, China!
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Alphabet Faces Antitrust Setbacks as Federal Judges Rule Against Google
US Billionaires Call for Higher Taxes, but Proposed 'Millionaires Tax' May Not Achieve Desired Outcome
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Designed in US, made in China: Why Apple is stuck in tariff tussle
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Meets with Donald Trump to Discuss EU-US Trade Tensions
×