The calls for limits and rationing of flying are mounting in the UK.
In September 2009:
The Committee on Climate Change, set up to advise the UK Government on how to meet target to cut greenhouse gases by 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050, wrote to the Secretaries of State for Climate Change and Transport, that global aviation emissions need to be capped at 2005 levels by 2050. It cautioned that air travel may have to be rationed to achieve that goal.
Earlier, the Institute for Public Policy Research called for personal carbon rationing that “limits the amount they can spend on luxuries like air travel.”
The Tyndall Centre for Climate Research called for a managed recession to meet UK targets, including “a moratorium on airport expansion”.
In November 2009
The head of the British Environment Agency announced that, in order to reduce personal emissions from 9 tonnes to only 2 tonnes by 2050 the UK will probably need to adopt individual carbon allowances. These would:
involve people being issued with a unique number which they would hand over when purchasing products that contribute to their carbon footprint, such as fuel, airline tickets and electricity.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers says that Britain will find it “almost impossible” to meet its target to cut greenhouse emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 without “drastic action.”
As part of that drastic action the country has to be placed on a war time footing. This means:
Individuals would also be expected to “do their bit” by reducing the amount of energy used in the home, flying less and switching to public transport rather than driving cars, the report said. Personal carbon allowances that limit the amount of energy used on transport, heating and flying could also have to be introduced.
….
people in countries like Britain may have to accept a level of “discomfort” by reducing energy and even a “loss of liberty” by travelling less but these changes in lifestyle will prevent worse suffering in the developing world due to climate change as well as the costs to our own society in the future.
I recently examined a UN document entitled “Details of Outreach Activities carried out by Chairman IPCC, Dr. R. K. Pachauri Jan ‘07 July ‘08″
http://www.ipcc.ch/meetings/session29/doc7-add1.pdf
Dr Rajendra Pachauri flew at least 443,243 miles on IPCC business in this 19 month period. This business included honorary degree ceremonies, a book launch and a Brookings Institute dinner, the latter involving a flight of 3500 miles. He generated 100 tonnes of CO2 which he could have mitigated by giving J.P. Morgan around $1450 to make his travels carbon-neutral. Perhaps he did so on our behalf.
I note that Professor Schellnhuber recently gave us our CO2 allowances until 2050: “You divide the 750 billion tons of CO2 by the world’s total population, and have the per capita budget of emissions allowed until 2050, of some 110 tonnes of CO2,” said Schellnhuber, who is Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. It seems we will all get a lot less, to allow the UN Flying Circus to continue.
Harbinger
Point well made. I think that, for example, were Obama to reduce use of Air Force One or move to a smaller aircraft and give up flying for all recreational trips that would send a very useful message.
However, its unclear to me why you are making these arguments. Are you saying that we should do nothing because there may be some hypocrisy/inconsistency in the actions of others? I take the view that I would be a very poor parent if I let the hypocrisy of others prevent me taking action when the wellbeing of my children and grandchildren is threatened. You agree?
Tom
I agree in taking action to solve a problem. CO2 is not a problem. If it were, such flights and conferences would be instantly stopped, the war in Afghanistan would be instantly stopped in order to dramatically reduce the amount of CO2 produced.
Ya put a smile in my face.
Dear Author http://www.stopflying.org !
You have hit the mark. Thought excellent, it agree with you.
[...] their own advice in efforts to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. From the comments section of Stop Flying: Dr Rajendra Pachauri flew at least 443,243 miles on IPCC business in this 19 month period. This [...]
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The calls for limits and rationing of flying are mounting in the UK…..
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The calls for limits and rationing of flying are mounting in the UK…..