The purpose of the COP summit, as everyone knows, is to devise means to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming. Parties have demonstrated their commitment to this aim by attending the COP and signing the Paris Agreement no doubt.
Many options are being considered in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; some countries pursue carbon neutrality, while others want to achieve net-zero by a specific year.
However, while all of these are nice ambitions, it appears that world leaders are pushing the fight on individuals, organizations, and groups because so far they haven’t lived up to their words.
Several groups, organizations, and individual climate and environmental activists are already pushing for the safety of the planet. But, although these individuals are doing their part, what role are world leaders playing in ensuring that the carbon reduction goals are met?
Notably, flights generate greenhouse gas (GHG), mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels and this contributes significantly to climate change. Though cars also contribute to global warming, planes and jets have higher emissions.
Emissions per kilometer traveled are reported to be far higher than in any other mode of transportation. In general, private planes emit significantly higher emissions per passenger than commercial flights.
If a private jet is traveling a short distance, it emits 7.1 tons of carbon which is per person, compare to commercial flights which emit in total, 13.5 tons of carbon on the same journey, which is 1.3 tons of emission per person.
In truth, commercial flights emit more carbon than private jets but we should not discard the fact that commercial flights can actually fly more people while private jet, as the name implies, carries one major passenger.
This year’s COP26 summit saw political delegates, businessmen, and women fly in on more than 400 private planes to a summit where they supposedly aimed to help preserve the globe from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, generating 13,000 tons of carbon, which is more than the annual emissions of 1,600 of Scots. Isn’t it ironic?
Oh, they’re wealthy individuals looking for comfort on a trip; that could be an excuse if commercial planes didn’t provide first-class, where they could pay less for the same level of comfort and luxury.
Flying private planes to a summit aimed at reducing carbon emissions is hypocritical because each jet contributes significantly to global warming.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon recently pledged 2 billion dollars towards the fight against climate change. Jeff who said during his speech at the summit that we must join hands to protect our world was part of the world business executives and politicians who flew to the conference with a fleet of private jets.
Prince Charles and Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, are among the leaders who went to the summit in a private jet. Johnson also raised eyebrows in June when, rather than taking the train from London, he flew to Cornwall for the COP26 conference.
Prince Albert of Monaco and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among the other prominent figures who have come under criticism. Private jet travel remains a blind spot for world leaders and the wealthy when discussing climate change.
One could argue that these world leaders and affluent business executives appear to exacerbate the problem of climate change while promising remedies without actually doing anything to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate global warming’s consequences.
Furthermore, the summit calls for the participation of world leaders, organizations, groups, and individual climate and environmental activists but how can these sets of people attend the COP26 conference with a huge hike in airplane fees?
Most of these individuals represent climate-affected people, and they need access to this meeting. These politicians and affluent corporate owners could simply provide a trip for organizations and climate activists who wish to attend.
In truth, the effects of climate change disproportionately affect the poor, creating a wider gap between the rich and the poor. Hence the lack of concern.
It’s past time for these wealthy business executives and politicians to start embracing climate responsibility. Beyond pledging large sums of money, they need to play their parts to reduce carbon emissions and cut down on the amount of their carbon production.
