Which is worse for the environment –
cars or aircraft? If your answer was
aircraft, then you are among a growing
crowd of aerophobes egged on by
anti-aviation campaigners.
But in terms of CO2 emissions you
would be wrong. Official figures show an
increase in the number of people duped
into believing that flights are more
damaging than car journeys.
The number of people who think that
flying contributes more to climate
change than car journeys has risen
rapidly in the past 18 months,
coinciding with a rise in activity by
groups opposing any increase in air
travel.
In the National Statistics omnibus
survey, conducted in August 2006, 39 per
cent of people thought that cars were
the most environmentally damaging mode
of transport, while 35 per cent selected
planes. When the same question was asked
in August 2007 cars had slipped to 34
per cent and planes had risen to 40 per
cent.
Estimates from the Department for
Transport for 2005 show that cars
emitted 69.9 million tonnes of CO2 while
domestic and international aviation
emitted 37.5 million tonnes.
The survey found that almost half the
population (47 per cent) believed that
air travel should be limited for the
sake of the environment. Only 23 per
cent supported making it more expensive
as a way of reducing emissions.
The proportion of people who said
that they were likely to fly less often
in the next 12 months rose from 12 per
cent in 2006 to 15 per cent last year.
The most popular option for reducing
emissions was to increase public
spending on buses, supported by 60 per
cent of people, and increasing spending
on trains (56 per cent).
Young people were much less likely to
be concerned about climate change than
middle-aged people. Among 16 to
24-year-olds 69 per cent said that they
were very or fairly concerned compared
with 86 per cent of people aged 45 to
54. People living in London were more
worried about climate change than those
in any other region.
People were also twice as likely to
trust environmental groups to tell them
the truth about climate change as they
were the Government.
The latest survey was conducted after
publicity about the “climate camp”
organised by antiaviation protesters at
Heathrow.
Enough enough, a green group funded
mainly by anonymous individuals, has
spent hundreds of thousands of pounds in
the past 18 months on advertisements
attacking the aviation industry for
damaging the climate.
Michelle Di Leo, the director of
Flying Matters, which lobbies for
airport expansion, said: “When
antiaviation groups are allowed to set
the agenda it can result in policy being
distorted.
“Raising the cost of air travel
disproportionately affects families on
low incomes who may not be able to
afford to fly,” she added, referring to
the government decision last year to
double air passenger duty.
Jeff Gazzard, of the Greenskies
Alliance, which is opposed to growth in
air travel, said: “We shouldn’t be
worried by the misapprehension. People
exaggerate the contribution of air
travel because they see flights as
discretionary whereas driving is an
everyday thing they can’t do without.”
Ben Websters article has
proven that low cost flying
is even worse for the
environment than previously
considered by public
opinion, contrary to what
Ben Webster says.
Consider that most of us use
cars at least twice a day to
work, some use them
considerably more, then
consider we may take one
flying holiday a year, and
yet emissions from cars are
not even twice that of
planes, shocking.
Flying is not the problem
but low cost flying for the
masses clearly is.
wayne, huntingdon,
cambridgeshire
Blaming carbon on planes
‘is flight of fancy’
good, we are getting there,
just need to add the rest of
the farrago. Climate has
been changing, sea rising,
coastlines erroding before
we even knew what CO2 was!
There is more of a
controlling, condemning
political agenda here than
science or reality.
Alan, Luton,
here is a thought
why can,t the governments
issue co2 credit for use in
air travel all the
people.say 10000 miles per
person.
if you want to use more you
should buy from the open
market i.e those who haven,t
used their carbon credit.
if it is done for idustries
it can be done for people
too.that way i get to sell
mine on the ebay and the
benefit goes to me directly
mehdi
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Ben Websters article has proven that low cost flying is even worse for the environment than previously considered by public opinion, contrary to what Ben Webster says.
Consider that most of us use cars at least twice a day to work, some use them considerably more, then consider we may take one flying holiday a year, and yet emissions from cars are not even twice that of planes, shocking.
Flying is not the problem but low cost flying for the masses clearly is.
wayne, huntingdon, cambridgeshire
Blaming carbon on planes ‘is flight of fancy’ good, we are getting there, just need to add the rest of the farrago. Climate has been changing, sea rising, coastlines erroding before we even knew what CO2 was! There is more of a controlling, condemning political agenda here than science or reality.
Alan, Luton,
here is a thought
why can,t the governments issue co2 credit for use in air travel all the people.say 10000 miles per person.
if you want to use more you should buy from the open market i.e those who haven,t used their carbon credit.
if it is done for idustries it can be done for people too.that way i get to sell mine on the ebay and the benefit goes to me directly
mehdi