The number of private jet flights in Europe increased by 64% in 2022, resulting in a doubling of relative emissions: an analysis published by Greenpeace reveals. Last year private jets have made a record level of 572,806 flights to our continentand half for ultra-short distances.
Private jets, flights on the rise in Europe
We know by now how private jets have a decidedly higher impact than the rest of flights, and obviously compared to other means of transport. In fact, only 1% of people who use airplanes cause 50% of the global emissions of the entire aviation sector. And the fact is even more serious if we consider the impact that most private jet flights have on short distances. Between 2005 and 2019 CO2 emissions from European private jets have soared, up 31%.
All of this is even more paradoxical if we think about what we are experiencing, not only globally, but precisely in Europe. Many regions of our continent have entered the second year of droughtand we come from a very hot year, marked bydriest summer for at least 500 years.
Despite the awareness of the emergency, despite the call to reduce emissions, today private jets whiz even more frequently above our heads. In 2022 emissions from private jets have more than doubled in Europeeven exceeding the annual per capita carbon emissions of 550,000 EU residents. More than half of the more than 572,000 private jet flights in 2022 were ultra short, i.e. below 750 kilometres. Journeys that, in fact, could have been made by train or by ferry.
L’Italia ranks fourth in the ranking of European countries (and third among EU countries) for the number of private jet flights, with 55,624 flights in 2022. Private jet flights from Italian airports increased by 61% in 2022 compared to the previous year, causing emissions of 266,100 tons of CO₂, double the previous year and equal to the average annual CO₂ emissions of 50,208 residents in Italy. The most frequented airports by private jets in Italy in 2022 were Milan Linate, Rome Ciampino and Olbia Costa Smeralda. While the shortest route with at least 10 private jet flights was between Verona and Brescialess than 100 kilometers that can be traveled in 1 hour by car or 2 by train.
