Thread by @StayGroundedNet

Flying will be a Major Source of our Global Warming Problems and Is Currently a Great Example for Climate Injustice – so Let‘s Put our Energies here Before it‘s Too Late!
A replik #Thread @SasjaBeslik medium.com/@sasjasocial/f… @transenv @flyingless @Fridays4future @GretaThunberg

Let‘s start this thread with the points we agree on @SasjaBeslik:

1 Global warming is a systemic problem and should be addressed first and foremost on a systemic level. Oil companies, airlines, governments and a profit orientated financial and economic system are responsible for the destruction of our planet and for the injustice related to it.

2 To focus our energy only on blaming environmentalists for flying too much, shifts the discussion away from a substantive debate about the climate crisis and the kind of radical changes needed to face it.

3 „There are no sustainable alternatives to long distance air-travel“ Electric airtravel is still years away – and we could even say it‘s very questionable if it‘s possible and also sustainable at all. Also #biofuels are not a option! @biofuelwatch

Now getting to the parts where we strongly disagree with @SasjaBeslik who says nobody has to feel bad about flying.

4 The fact that there are no sustainable alternatives to flights in most of the cases is why it is even more justified and ultimately nessecary, to question air travel and the hypermobile #lifestyle that is connected to it.

5 We can do this on a personal level, ending up in ennoying discussions about this or that trip and if it‘s really justified and needed or not. And we can do it on a systemic level, realizing that a systemic change will actually mean „#CHANGE“. ALSO of habits and of lifestyle!

6 We will not be able – and shouldn‘t – continue our #imperial and hypermobile lifestyle. And this will also mean #flyingless. „We“ here is referring to the countries of the Global North.

7 Now about #aviation: it is the most climate damaging form of transport and one of the fastest growing sources of #GHG emissions. So if @SasjaBeslik is talking about aviation accounting for only 2% of global carbon emissions, that is dangerously misleading in many ways:

8 First of all we need to take into account the #nonCO2 effects of aviation (#ozone, induced cloudiness, #contrails...) that are neglected in nearly all of the numbers and statistics. Taken this into account we talk about at least 5% of global warming emissions through #aviation.

9 Second, when it comes to reaching #ParisAgreement targets and #climatejustice the major problem of aviation industry is it‘s ongoing and unquestioned #growth and it‘s unjust distribution.

10 @EUEnvironment estimates, that the CO2-Emissions from Aviation will account for 22% of global emissions by 2050 if no further action is taken. Europe will be a major source of growth - @eurocontrol forecasting a 53% growth in passenger numbers by 2040 compared with today.

11 Looking at individual travel behaviour, e.g. in Germany, flying is as relevant for the climate as driving cars – while most of the flights are taken by wealthy citizens. sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

12 On a global level, we talk about at least 80% of the population who has never set foot into an airplane. And yet the people in the #GlobalSouth are already suffering most from the #climatecrisis.

13 This means: if we start NOW to stop aviation industries licence to grow and reduce flights from the #GlobalNorth we would actually prove some real kind of foresightness – something quite rare in #climatepolitics I admit – and show that we take responsibility that is ours.

14 WE NEED TO ACT NOW! And again we agree with @SasjaBeslik that we should support alternatives to short- and middle-haul flights. @backontrack can tell you something about the struggle for more night trains. But at the same time we need to cut aviation industries #privileges:

15 Aviation industry benefits from major tax privileges and subsidies. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. NOW! As #FFFfordert: no subsidies to fossil energy sources. We need #kerosine taxes and VAT for all flights! @transenv @Fridays4future

16 And yet: if we want this change to happen, we need a society and people who want this change and agree and accept the change it means for their lifestyle. And in very many cases this means simply #flyingless and #staygrounded.

17 And it is NOT practicing #carbonoffsetting – which doesn‘t solve any climate problem, but creates major landuse conflicts and has a very questionable impact on reducing carbon emissions. Read @staygroundeds3 publications for more information: stay-grounded.org/wp-content/upl…

18 Showing that #flyingless is actually possible and needed can be one task of environmentalists. Especially if they are famous enough to be heard. People like @GretaThunberg and @BjornFerry do have a „systemic“ impact with their „individual“ choice not to fly.

19 Not everybody is as famous as they are. Not everybody is in the situation to risk their job or family relation by pledging not to fly. But most of us are. Most of us can #staygrounded and should. Recommandable thread about importance of individual action by @isabellelettelier.

20 So people like @SasjaBeslik could be in the front position of showing what is needed if we want to do environmental politics and business while #flyingless. Demand for #videoconferencing. Use your influence to show that #fossilfree is an option.

21 Don‘t join the #greenwashing business of Aviation industry!
Realize that #aviation is and will be a major source of our Global Warming Problems and Climate unjustice and we need plan for #degrowth of #aviation before it is too late! #staygrounded

View whole blogpost on stay-grounded.org/flying-is-and-…