Thread by @StayGroundedNet

"Small cuts in air traffic would level off global heating caused by flying"
Good article by @katerav about an important paper by @milankloewer et al. - but with a few blind spots.

Let's explain what's missing here. Thread 🔽🧵
theguardian.com/world/2021/nov…

First of all: the article talks about a 2.5% reduction in air traffic each year. That is not a small change! Because until now, air traffic has grown at >5% per year. And it wants to continue to do so after Covid - despite rising emissions and climate emergency.

What is important is that aviation cannot become climate-neutral through technology. All "alternatives" deliver too little and have disadvantages. See our new factsheets:

https://twitter.com/StayGroundedNet/status/1455204700144422915

In addition, air traffic is enormously unevenly distributed. A few frequent flyers cause the majority of emissions: In 2018, 50% of aviation emissions were caused by 1% of the world's population, as research by @StefanGossling an Andreas Humpe shows.
sciencedirect.com/science/articl….

Of course, air travel also has advantages. Some flights are reasonable, for others there are climate-friendly alternatives, many are simply unnecessary (and could maybe be a zoom call). But: We have to remember that 80% of the world's population have never flown.

@katerav's article and @milankloewer's et al. research shows that 2.5% reduction in flights could keep aviation's climate impact low. By 2050, this would lead to a 50% reduction compared to 2019.

The crucial point: if we also want to reduce mobility inequality, this means a significant reduction of flights in countries of the Global North, not a "small cut" or a "modest diet in our flying habits" if this "our" is supposed to represent the ones who already fly!

We want #ClimateJustice! And for that we need a radical change in the mobility systems in the global North. We need to #ReduceAirTraffic significantly and rapidly in rich countries! #StayGrounded
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