Avoid Air Travel

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Avoid Air Travel

Flying produces high carbon emissions, taking fewer flights can make a difference. Avoiding one long-distance economy return flight per year from Sydney to London could save up to 4.9 tonnes of CO2. Avoiding one domestic return flight from Sydney to Cairns can save up to 0.55 tonnes of CO2.

Why

Aviation contributes overall for 2.5% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but it’s overall contribution to climate change is actually higher. This is because air travel does not only emit CO2: it affects the climate in a number of more complex ways. As well as emitting CO2 from burning fuel, planes affect the concentration of other gases and pollutants in the atmosphere. Overall, the warming effect is stronger.

How

  • Avoid flying

  • Take flights with no stops if you can, because landings and takeoffs use more fuel and produce more emissions.

  • Fly in economy class. Business-class is responsible for almost three times as many emissions as economy class. In economy class, the flight’s carbon emissions are shared among more passengers; first-class can result in nine times more carbon emissions than economy.

  • If you can’t avoid flying, offset the carbon emissions of your travel.

  • Every March, consider offsetting any flights you took in the past 12 months.

    Sources

    AECOM (2012) 100% Renewables

    AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator) (2013) 100 per cent renewable study – modelling outcomes

    CSIRO (2017) Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap

    Elliston B, MacGill I, Diesendorf M (2013) Least cost 100% renewable electricity scenarios in the Australian National Electricity Market

    Stocks M, Blakers A, Lu B (2017) Pumped Hydro Energy Storage to Support a 50-100% renewable electricity grid. Select Committee into the Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure in a Warming World. Submission 35.

    Carbon emission calculation for return flight from Sydney - London and Sydney - Cairns https://www.carbonfootprint.com