Global political leadership and several business tycoons have arrived in private planes to discuss the looming disaster of climate change. Also known as COP26, the UN’s climate change summit in Glasgow began on Sunday, which is set to discuss the greenhouse emissions and the rising levels of CO2 that the hordes of private jets that landed in Glasgow would have definitely spewed.
The global leadership are set to discuss a range of issues in their quest to save the planet from greenhouse gases. Several reports estimate that over 400 private planes carrying business leaders and politicians to this week’s conference will spew out 13,000 tons of CO2. Ironically, these private jets’ emissions will exceed the average annual emissions of roughly 1,600 Scots.
Eco-hypocrites?
Earlier today, US President Joe Biden arrived aboard Air Force One. The trip follows the president’s trip from Washington to Rome for the G20 summit this weekend. Global leaders pledged “meaningful and effective” climate action at the G20 summit, but offered little information about how they will limit global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In the Vatican on Friday, while on his way to meet the Pope, Biden deployed a massive motorcade, 85 gas-guzzling cars long parade to be exact. Today, he had a similarly long entourage on his way from the airport to the summit venue.
Critics on the internet have blasted Biden and others for their exorbitant displays. A number of the participants at COP26 have been called out for claiming to fight climate change while not reducing their enormous carbon footprints.
In a tweet, former leader of the UK Independence Party – that led the charge for the UK’s exit from the European Union – Nigel Farage said, “Every world leader or dignitary that arrives to @COP26 by private jet is an eco-hypocrite. Fact.”
Netizens call out “climate leaders”
For their use of private jets to travel to Rome and Scotland, Prince Charles, the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, are also among the leaders to have come under criticism. Earlier too, in June, Johnson raised eyebrows when instead of taking the train from London, he flew to Cornwall for the G7 summit.
Some other big names that are facing criticism include Jeff Bezos, Prince Albert of Monaco, and German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Netizens around the world have taken to Twitter to call out these “climate leaders”.
A Lund University study found that private jet travel emits about 40 times more CO2 per passenger than commercial air travel.
The non-profit group Finch’s Transport and Environment said that air emissions from private planes are soaring, contributing to the fact that around half of global aviation emissions come from 1 per cent of the world’s population.
