After Covid, would you give up flying to combat climate change?

[Aprilrainbow]

After a horrid year we all want a holiday but would you be prepared to give up flying to combat climate change or is that a pre covid thing now? No axe to grind, just interested in peoples views.

Not a chance ill be doing as much travelling as i possibly can.

I already did.

A priveleged question @posturesorposes? Do you realise how few people can afford to fly? It's the ones who can't who bear the worst consequences of global warming too.

My answer is yes. Already had given up personally, and now we won't fly for work anymore.

No, not if I want to see my sisters.

No. Family (parent and children) unreachable without flights.

No, because I haven't used a car in over a year, and that's done nothing to help climate change. The biggest impact came from China reducing production. So as much as I like to feel like I'm doing my bit, I think apart from not buying anything from china (probably impossible) there's not much I can do that's going to make an impact. I do one long haul every 2-3 years and rarely do short haul, so I won't be reducing that.

I don't fly for cheap European holidays. However, our family is split across two continents so someone has to fly or we can't see each other again. I think it's business travel and flying for short breaks that needs to stop.

Already have, last flight over a decade ago.

No. No kids, no car, chose to travel only rarely. But no way will I say I’m never flying long haul again.

No I wouldn’t give it up. We don’t own a car, don’t eat meat, will have maximum one dc. I do think people who choose to have multiple dc or who eat beef should be prevented from flying

Nope. Family is on the other side of the world. If you really want to combat climate change, vote in governments that will invest in green energy and force big industry to lower their carbon emissions.

No.

But travellers are going to be very surprised at the cost of flights. Now business travellers will no longer be funding economy, the cost of standard airfares will leap.

@Mirrorxx

No I wouldn’t give it up. We don’t own a car, don’t eat meat, will have maximum one dc. I do think people who choose to have multiple dc or who eat beef should be prevented from flying

Carbon budgets were touted years ago but of course the wealthy are the worst offenders so they got nowhere.

We as a family are very low users though, I just wanted to be able to look my kids and grandkids in the eye and say I wasn't a hypocrite. As well as not flying we don't drive or eat meat. We have made other choices too.

I can't bear the feeling of being hypocritical. Am sure I do it in small ways but I'm trying.

Hmmm.. Let me think... No.

I would hope that there is going to be a massive reduction in travel for business purposes which might help the overall numbers.

We might also find that the flights are more expensive now that lots of the smaller, low cost airlines have gone. By the time this is over we might only be left with the big national carriers. Fleets are going to be smaller with fewer flights.

I’m looking into rail for trips to Europe.

Absolutely not. The correct question to be asking is 'will people have less children to combat climate change'. One person could have a hundred transatlantic flights a year and wouldn't match the carbon emissions of one more human in the world.

On the other hand I am desperately hoping for the demise of the disgusting cruise industry.

@Malin52

Absolutely not. The correct question to be asking is 'will people have less children to combat climate change'. One person could have a hundred transatlantic flights a year and wouldn't match the carbon emissions of one more human in the world.

This is not true.

Frequent air travel is the issue.

10% of people do 90% of the travelling
Therin lies the problem, I don't think you will be able to persuade the entitled and selfish to voluntarily reduce their travel. The only way is to ration it, and not allow them to buy other people's share.

@PersonaNonGarter sorry. I meant 60 transatlantic flights a year. My bad

No. I love my holidays, it’s what I work for.

The much touted 'killer argument' about not having kids is not something than can translate into real policies.

The average number of children per couple in carbon intensive nations is falling all the time anyway.

Yes

One result for me of this year has been full on realisation of how important travel involving flying is to me AND how it became a habit. Over the last 10 or so years I have consciously reduced my flying - gone fir longer holidays rather than more shorter ones and reduced them overall.

I too think some form of rationing and business travel rethink/reduction is becoming more indicated/urgent.

@BefuddledPerson as a child free person who uses only renewable energy do I get to fly?

Why can't we all have carbon credits? Want to use up 10 years supply on a kid? Go for it but no flying for you. Win win. Kid free flights and I get to holiday.