The United Kingdom had an ‘alarming growth’ in European private flights in 2022 – with a 75% increase from the previous year, according to new data.
Statistics compiled by Greenpeace revealed a total of 90,256 flights departed the UK for European destinations last year which equated to a flight every six minutes.
Private flying in Britain caused 501,100 tonnes of CO2 during that time, equal to the average yearly emissions of 96,346 residents or driving 155,342 miles in a Ford Fiesta – enough to drive around the world six times.
Klara Maria Schenk, Transport Campaigner for Greenpeace, said: “The alarming growth of private jet flights is entirely at odds with all the climate science that tells us to bring down CO2 emissions.
“Over 60% of the oil used globally is for transport – reducing oil-powered transport immediately is a no-brainer, starting with a ban on ultra-polluting private jets.”
Since 2020 there has been a sharp rise in the total carbon emissions being released through private flying while 2021 managed surpassed pre-covid levels despite widespread travel restrictions.
Last year the UK accounted for 14.8% of Europe’s private jet emissions, with its busiest airports being London Luton Airport, Farnborough Airport near London and London Biggin Hill Airport.
The English capital was involved in six of the ten most popular routes throughout the calendar, these totalled 12,246 flights.
Popular destinations included Nice, Geneva, Milan, Farnborough and Amsterdam, with the most common being to Paris which can be done alternatively via a two and a half hour direct train.
Furthermore, one in four in Europe were considered ‘very short-haul’ being less than 310 miles, while the most carbon intensive journey was just 4.5 miles between Blackbushe and Farnborough in England – which can be cycled in 30 minutes.
Doug Parr, Policy Director at Greenpeace UK, said: “Private jets are staggeringly polluting and generally pointless – many of these journeys can be covered almost as quickly by train, and some of them by bicycle.
“Millions of people around the world are facing climate chaos, losing livelihoods or worse, while a tiny minority are burning jet fuel like there’s no tomorrow.”
