Dozens of climate activists disrupted the European private jet sales fair in Geneva (Switzerland), by handcuffing themselves to the aircraft displayed on the airport tarmac. Faced with criticism, the business aviation industry promises to reduce its environmental footprint.
There “best evidence“that private aviation has become aware of climate change, says Raphaël Domjan, it’s him. This adventurer and pilot of the Solar Stratos solar plane was invited to the European private jet show on May 23 in Geneva (Switzerland ), to present his project of flight in the stratosphere. The sign, he assures, that times have changed: “I do think that part of this industry wants to continue the same thing that it has been doing for 50 years.” And at the same time he “think people are sensitive to climate change”.
>> Climate: activists briefly interrupt air traffic at Geneva airport
He pleads for a change of model even if, according to him, it is in aviation, “that will be the most difficult”while remaining optimistic: “Instead of being the last to change, they can instead be the leaders of change.”
“If we manage to decarbonize aviation, that means that the rest of our world will be decarbonable”.
Raphael Domjanfranceinfo
“This is not how we will succeed in reaching the Paris agreements”
An optimism claimed by professionals in the sector. Throughout this show, we see the words “decarbonization”, “sustainability”, “green fuels”, etc. Of “greenwashing“, says Fanny Eternod of Greenpeace Switzerland: “It’s supposedly a sustainable fuel. It will only represent 19% of all fuel used by airlines by 2040. Really, that’s not how we’re going to achieve the Paris agreements On the contrary, we must drastically reduce air traffic and in particular ban private jets”.
To demand this ban, a hundred environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion, Greenpeace and Stay Grounded (Stay on Earth) occupied the tarmac of Geneva International Airport on Tuesday, May 23. They disrupted the European private jet sales show which takes place not far from the runways, from May 23 to 25.
In three hours of flight, a private jet can release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as a citizen of a country like Switzerland in a year, according to the environmental association. And that’s not Greenpeace’s only grievance. “It’s still quite scandalous to see that in the midst of the climate crisis, ultra-rich people come to do their shopping to choose their next private jet“, protests Fanny Eternod. She denounces the communication of the aviation industry “Who wants us to believe that private jets are primarily used for doing business. But, she continues, “we realize that this sector is essentially focused on leisure and that, we see it because jet departures increase by 50% in July.”
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She also points out that the busiest airport in Europe for private jets is in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes). “According to the latest news, Nice remains a holiday destination more than a business center”, emphasizes Fanny Eternod. Geneva is not to be outdone: the Swiss city occupies with London and Nice, therefore, the podium of the most popular European destinations for private aviation.