Twelve billionaires’ climate emissions outpollute 2.1m homes, analysis finds

Lee Duna@lemmy.nz to News@lemmy.world – 589 points –
Twelve billionaires’ climate emissions outpollute 2.1m homes, analysis finds
theguardian.com
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But it’s actually a problem. It measures whole percentage points, it’s not a rounding error.

Dismissing an issue or person because conservatives are also using it as a punching bag doesn’t remove the problem, it just lets the conservatives control the narrative. I don’t think participating in that polarizing behavior is good or useful.

That's all air travel. All.

100,000 flights and 6 million people every day. A private jet is a drop in the bucket.

Arguing semantics? All flights are equal? A loaded a380 is just like a 6 passenger Lear?

If we argue that someone should take the bus or bike instead of drive, isn’t this the same argument?

No, because the intent is to reduce aggregate demand. One person's life choices are completely irrelevant, but when you spread ideas like ride-sharing, public transport, and walking/biking, the goal is for many people to choose one or more of those options regularly.

Long after we have carbon taxes, planes will still be flying.

Do the math on one person flying alone on a Lear jet while running a lawnmower for fun just to pollute a little extra, vs 6 million other people taking 100,000 flights. Or don't, because the math should be quite obvious.

It’s not one person though, there are more private jets than commercial airliners. This thread started with the declaration that taking needless private flights over the Atlantic is negligible and we shouldn’t bother expressing frustration or ire that they continue.

I never said we should stop flights, just that we can criticize irresponsible usage of it. Why is that such a sticking point here?

Because that argument only exists, only ever existed, to chip away at the credibility of wealthy people who are putting actual effort into fighting climate change