Flying accounts for about two percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, but some passengers’ impact is far greater than others. In a week when the great and good are flying into the World Economic Forum at Davos we have decided to take stock.
Each sphere is a kilogram of carbon dioxide gas at 15 °C and atmospheric pressure.
A jumbo jet flight from London to New York adds about 200 metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Divided between 349 passengers (84% occupancy) that’s 572 kg each. But Business Class passengers take up more space than Economy Class, and First Class passengers even more space.
Emissions from travelling from London Heathrow Airport to John F Kennedy Airport (New York City)
So a transatlantic passenger in Economy Class adds greenhouse gas to the atmosphere equivalent to 4 weeks of emissions from a typical European household. But each First Class passengers contributes more than 38 weeks emissions.
Many invited to Davos, though, choose to travel by private jet. This is far less efficient than a scheduled flight. A private jet uses as much fuel as 9 First Class passengers, 26 Business Class passengers, or 80 Economy Class passengers. Crossing the Atlantic in a private jet adds about 25 metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. That’s 6 years of emissions from an average European household (each way).
This is why, overall, just one percent of the world’s population account for half of all emissions from aviation. Our Prime Minister Boris Johnson is likely one of them. He famously left the COP 26 meeting in Glasgow by private jet because some old colleagues of his were having a knees-up in London.
Notes
1% of the world’s population is responsible for 50% of aviation emissions: Stefan Gössling, Andreas Humpe, ‘The global scale, distribution and growth of aviation: Implications for climate change’, Global Environmental Change, Volume 65, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102194
(Hat tip: Transport & Environment, 2021. Private jets: can the super rich supercharge zero-emission aviation?)
Emissions for a Boeing 747 were calculated with reference to Boeing documents. The particular model was the 747-400ER with GE engines. Typical mission rules were assumed (Fuel burn / seat 6,000 nmi = 304.5 kg).
The distribution of the 747’s emissions by passenger class was calculated with reference to a World Bank Report: Heinrich Bofinger & Jon Strand 2013, Calculating the Carbon Footprint from Different Classes of Air Travel , Policy Research Working Paper #6471
The private jet calculation assumes a Falcon 8X. Emissions were determined with reference to a commercial off-setting company: https://www.paramountbusinessjets.com/private-jet-carbon-offset-system/
The density of carbon dioxide gas at 15 °C and 1 atm is 8.714 kg.m⁻³. 1 kg of CO₂ gas would fill a sphere 1,006.8 mm in diameter.