Soaring CO2 emissions: Private jets' impact revealed
CO2 emissions from private jet flights increased by almost 50 percent over four years, according to an analysis published in Communications Earth & Environment. Passengers on such flights can emit up to several hundred times more carbon dioxide than an average person.
Research has shown that individuals using private aeroplanes can generate almost 500 times more carbon dioxide annually than an average person. This phenomenon is especially observed during international events, such as the COP 28 climate conference or the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where emissions significantly increase.
Private aviation is characterised by high energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions per passenger compared to commercial flights. Only about 0.003 per cent of the world's population uses this form of transportation. The global scale of private aviation and its emissions remain poorly documented.
Stefan Gössling of Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden, and his team, analysed data from records covering more than 18.5 million private flights performed by nearly 26,000 business jets from 2019 to 2023. This study covers a substantial majority of this aviation segment. Researchers calculated CO2 emissions from each flight by combining manufacturer-reported fuel consumption data with the flight duration and route.
The results indicate that the flights mentioned in 2023 generated a total of about 17 million tonnes of CO2, averaging 4 tonnes of CO2 per flight. This means a 46 percent increase in emissions from private flights compared to 2019, representing about 1.8 percent of total emissions from commercial aviation in 2023.
Global events increase emissions
Scientists emphasise that major international events contribute to intensifying private jet travel. During COP 28, 644 private flights were recorded, which generated 5,300 tonnes of CO2, and during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there were 1,846 such flights, accounting for 16,200 tonnes of CO2.
Record emissions per person in 2023 reached 2,600 tonnes of CO2, nearly 500 times higher than the average in 2020.
