According to a recent study, emissions of carbon pollution from private jets have dramatically increased over the past five years. In just two hours of flying, these small aircraft can emit more carbon dioxide than an average person produces in an entire year. The findings, published in the journal *Communications Earth & Environment*, reveal that around 250,000 ultra-wealthy individuals generated approximately 17.2 million tons of carbon emissions from their private flights in the previous year. To put that into perspective, the emissions equate to the annual output of carbon from around 67 million residents of Tanzania.

From 2019 to 2023, private jet emissions surged by 46%, based on research conducted by a team from Europe that analyzed more than 18.6 million flights involving around 26,000 jets over five years. Although private jets contribute just 1.8% of total aviation emissions, the aviation sector itself accounts for about 4% of human-induced greenhouse gases. This may appear to be a minor contribution, however, the researchers argue that the issue highlights inequality and misplaced priorities in addressing climate change.

Stefan Gossling, the lead author of the study, pointed out the ethical implications of wealth-driven carbon emissions. He noted, “Those who have substantial wealth are inflicting damage on the environment, while the consequences are unfairly shouldered by those with significantly less financial resources.” The study identified the individual with the highest private jet emissions, although the person remains unnamed; this individual was responsible for releasing 2,645 tons of carbon dioxide, which exceeds the global average annual emission rate of 5.2 tons as calculated by the World Bank.

Jonathan Westin, the executive director of Climate Organizing Hub, emphasized the connection between the super-rich and the ongoing climate crisis, stating that wealthy individuals continue to exploit private jets and fossil fuels while the general population faces growing environmental disasters like floods and hurricanes.

Earlier this year, the International Energy Agency revealed that the wealthiest 1% of the planet contribute carbon emissions more than a thousand times greater than the poorest 1%. Gossling’s findings show that five major global events in just one year, such as the World Cup in Qatar and the Cannes film festival, accounted for over 35,600 tons of carbon emissions solely from 3,500 private flights.

Addressing the issue of wealthy individuals attending climate conferences in private jets, Jean Su from the Center for Biological Diversity called the phenomenon hypocritical and urged the United Nations to take action against it. Researchers also analyzed over 1,200 private flights taken by various celebrities, but Gossling chose not to disclose their identities.

Gossling indicated that many of these private flights are not business-related and often stem from a lifestyle of luxury. He contended that while it’s crucial to shine a light on elite emitters, focusing solely on individual behaviors detracts from the more significant task of achieving systematic change in society’s infrastructure to reduce overall carbon output. He argued that while systemic change is necessary, individuals should also be held accountable for their emissions.

Approximately 51% of private jets consume at least 239 gallons of fuel per hour, translating into more carbon emissions in just over two hours than the average person’s yearly emissions, which the International Energy Agency estimates at around 4.7 tons. Gossling advocates for the implementation of a tax or landing fee that reflects the environmental damage associated with emissions from private jets, which should amount to about $200 or 200 euros per ton of emissions. Additionally, calls have been made for an outright ban on private jets.

The research highlights that the United States is the leading country in terms of private jet traffic, holding more than 68% of the world’s private aircraft, which averages around five jets per 100,000 people. However, Gossling noted that private jets are a global issue, prevalent even in developing nations. In the U.S., Alaska has the highest per capita usage of private jets, with nearly 5,000 per 100,000 residents according to additional research.