Private jets are increasingly polluting the skies over Europe Boom

Private jets are increasingly polluting the skies over Europe: Boom 2022 with 572,000 flights, +61% in Italy

Six jet Private reach record levels Europewith more than 572,000 flights only register 2022 (a 64% increase over the previous year), theItaly it is no less. It’s the fourth European country by number of private jet flights (the third if only those from the EU are taken into account), with 55,624 flights carried out in 2022, up to 61% compared to 34,500 in 2021. And it is the third in relation to emissions From carbon dioxide generated by these flights. This is the result of an analysis commissioned by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe to the Dutch environmental consultancy THERE ARE Delftaccording to which emissions from private jets in Europe have more than doubled in one year and exceed the annual emissions of 550,000 European citizens. On the other hand, the year 2023 did not start optimally either: it was the Dutch company, on the eve of World Economic Forum in Davosto reveal that the private jets flown during the last edition of the forum on June 21 over thousend, which causes four times higher CO2 emissions than the average attributed to this type of aircraft in the other weeks of the year. In this case, measured by the number of flights, Italy was al third place. And the example certainly does not come from above. “The Italian government He turns out to be not particularly active in energy and climate policy in Europe and actually often holds positions in the backbut discussions have already started in Brussels on how to regulate air travel, and in some countries they are even preparing to do so legislative proposals to ban or severely restrict the phenomenon of private jets,” he explains to ilfattoquotidiano.it Federico Spadini the transport campaign of Greenpeace Italy.

Private jets in Europe – This is shown by the results of the most recent survey 55% of flights of private jets flown in Europe in 2022 flew a distance of less than 750 kilometers. In many cases, these are trips that could be made with more sustainable alternatives as the Train. The three most common goals were Pretty, Paris And Genevawhile the European countries with the highest number of flights were private jets respectively kingdom United, France And Germany. Private jets cause on average 5 to 14 times higher emissions than you fly Advertisingaccording to a study by the non-governmental organization Traffic & Environment. That is 50 times higher than a train journey.

The case of Italy Italy is the fourth European country by number of private jet flights: they have issued over 266 thousand tons From CO2twice as many as those of the 2021 and equal to the average carbon emissions of more than 50,000 Italians in one year (estimated by the World Bank). “It is estimated that by 2022 about one in ten private flights in Europe will depart from Italy,” Greenpeace said. In the last three years (2020-2022), private jets taking off from Italian airports caused 420,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The Italian airports most frequented by private jets were Milan Linate, Rome Ciampino And Olbia Costa Smeralda. The first two are also two of the ten European airports busiest by private jets in 2022, as is the section connecting Milan and Rome, although the two cities are only a few minutes away three hours by train (less than 500 kilometers drive). In 2022, the shortest stage was with 10 or more private jet flights in between Verona And Brescia: The two cities are connected by a direct train which runs every 30 minutes in both directions and the train travels 44 kilometers only 35 minutes. Based on this data, the measures requested by Greenpeace in a petition belong Meloni government Added to this is the ban on private jets and the introduction of the climate ticket for public transport more sustainable And accessible.

The warning of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – “While Europe and Italy are dealing with a terrible one drynessis the alarming increase in private flights in total contrast with alarms scientific communityafter it is necessary reduce immediately CO2 emissions to avoid a climate catastrophe,” he comments Frederick swords. The latest report ofIPCC shows that we need to reduce fossil fuel consumption now. “Starting with most superfluouslike that of private jets, extremely polluting means of transport that have to be forbidden to protect the climate, the environment and our health,” comments Greenpeace, for which they are “the symbol of an polluting and unfair sector”. Suffice it to say that in 2018 half of all aviation emissions were caused from 1 percent of the world populationwhile80 percent of people in the world have never traveled by plane. “If the Italian government is really on the side of the people, as it wants to believe – concludes Spadini – it is banning the form of travel more pollutingsuperfluous ed unfair the world would be a strong signal in the direction of Familys who suffer the effects every day energy crisis And climate“.