Private jet emissions soar 46% as global events fuel surge

Research has shown that individuals using private airplanes can generate almost 500 times more carbon dioxide per year than an average person. This phenomenon is particularly evident during international events, such as the COP 28 climate conference or the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where emissions significantly increase.

Private aviation is characterized by high energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions per passenger compared to commercial flights. Only about 0.003 percent of the world's population uses this form of transportation. The global scale of private aviation and its emissions remains poorly documented.

Stefan Gossling of Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden, along with his team, analyzed data from records covering more than 18.5 million private flights performed by nearly 26,000 business jets from 2019 to 2023. This study covers a substantial majority of this aviation segment. Researchers calculated CO2 emissions from each flight by combining manufacturer-reported fuel consumption data with the flight duration and route.

The results indicate that the flights in 2023 generated a total of about 17 million tons of CO2, averaging 4 tons of CO2 per flight. This marks a 46 percent increase in emissions from private flights compared to 2019, accounting for about 1.8 percent of total emissions from commercial aviation in 2023.

Scientists emphasize that major international events contribute to intensifying private jet travel. During COP 28, 644 private flights were recorded, generating 5,300 tons of CO2. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 1,846 such flights were recorded, accounting for 16,200 tons of CO2.

Record emissions per person in 2023 reached 2,600 tons of CO2, nearly 500 times higher than the average in 2020.