The carbon emissions from private jets used by the wealthy and famous are becoming a significant burden on the environment.
According to a new study published on November 7, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from private jets have increased by 46% from 2019 to 2023 and are expected to continue rising unless this ultra-luxury industry is regulated.
Private jets are the preferred mode of transport for the rich and famous and consume the most energy. This industry has long been a target for climate activists.
Elon Musk’s Gulfstream G700 private jet – (Photo: REUTERS).
The authors of the study, from universities in Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, analyzed data from 18,655,789 private flights between 2019 and 2023. The team then calculated the CO2 emissions for each flight by combining the aircraft’s fuel consumption with its flight time and trajectory.
The team found that private aviation emitted 15.6 million tons of CO2 in 2023. Although this figure accounts for less than 2% of the total carbon emissions from the commercial aviation sector, private jets serve only about 256,000 ultra-wealthy individuals—approximately 0.003% of the adult population worldwide.
The study also revealed that private jet users emit CO2 levels that are 500 times greater than the average person in a year.
According to the study, CO2 emissions from private aviation peak during major international events such as the World Cup, the Cannes Film Festival, and ironically, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28.
At least 644 private flights associated with COP28 in Dubai emitted 4,800 tons of CO2. The FIFA World Cup 2022 was even worse, with 1,846 private flights emitting 14,700 tons of CO2.
Additionally, the study found that private flights peak during the summer around popular resort destinations, especially those that tend to occur on weekends (arriving on Friday and leaving on Sunday). This led the research team to conclude that “the motive for travel is primarily recreational.”
Another finding is that nearly half of the flights (47.4%) had a range of less than 500 km, and many flights did not carry passengers but were merely in transit to pick up or drop off cargo, according to IFLScience.
Private aviation is heavily concentrated in the United States, which accounts for 68.7% of registered private jets, despite only housing 4% of the world’s population. Following the U.S. are Brazil (927 private jets), Canada (770 jets), Germany (630 jets), Mexico (534 jets), and the United Kingdom (522 jets).
“With the challenges of reducing emissions under the Paris Agreement currently faced by most countries, a key question is how to limit further emissions increases.
Private air transport illustrates the policy puzzle of addressing the role of the wealthy, as policymakers are hesitant to focus on the affluent and powerful,” the research team stated.
The study was published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
