Just as the private jets of global elites swarm every year in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, they are also landing in Glasgow for this week’s COP26 climate conference.
The Sunday mail reports about 400 private jets are expected to take their cargo of world leaders and business executives to the event. Thousands of tons of CO2 will be released into the atmosphere.
Joe Biden’s Air Force One plane, a heavily modified Boeing 747-200, is scheduled to land in Scotland later today after a brief jump from Rome – one of two identical planes used by the US president’s entourage to travel the world.
He will not be alone on the asphalt.
French Cotam 001, Canadian VIP Air Force, German Konrad Adenauer, Japanese Air Force One, Air India One, Australian Shark One and Israeli Wing of Zion are expected to attend the meeting.
China Joe reiterated that John Kerry is “leading” the country’s upcoming global warming effort despite using a private jet. https://t.co/IGhD0f0PmE
– Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) September 10, 2021
Matt Finch of the Transport and Environment Campaign told the newspaper that “the average private jet, and we’re not talking about Air Force One, emits two tons of CO2 per hour of flight.” He then put this into perspective:
It is not possible to stress enough how bad private planes are for the environment, this is the worst way for miles. Our research has shown that most trips are easily made with regular flights.
Private jets are very prestigious, but it’s hard to avoid the hypocrisy of using one while claiming to be fighting climate change. To put it in context, the total carbon footprint of an ordinary citizen – including everything they travel to and everything they consume – is about eight tonnes a year.
So an CEO or politician will consume more CO2 over one long-distance private flight than more normal people in one year.
Aviation sources said mail more than 400 private jets are likely to bring more than 1,000 world leaders, business directors and their staff to the talks.
Such is the expected volume of air traffic, while Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick will take care of many delegates, smaller airports, especially private planes, as far as London. we recommend for use by COP26 conference organizers.
Traveling by private jet was a feature of the world’s elite, as the rest of the world remained grounded during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 1,800 private jets arrived in the UK during a national “lock” https://t.co/BCUWfNs56z
– Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 19, 2020
The average trip by private plane emits 10 times more greenhouse gases per person than the same trip with a flight in economy class and 150 times more than a trip by rail, the news estimates.
It is estimated that 30,000 delegates from almost all countries will attend the conference the world, with the Paris Agreement signed by 192 parties.
The Messenger reports the influx of people requires a greater security presence, which means there will be another 10,000 police officers travel from different parts of the UK to support event management.