Why choosing to carbon offset your flight isn’t always the greenest option
When booking a flight online, you'll often be given the option to offset the carbon footprint of your trip.
You'll be asked if you want to pay a small extra fee - often under €5 - to the cost of your booking to help offset the emissions produced by your flight.
However, carbon credit schemes have repeatedly been criticized by scientists and climate activists as ineffective and even counterproductive.
Should you opt for offsetting the emissions from your flight, or are there other options available to make your travel more environmentally friendly?
What is the process behind carbon offsetting for flights?
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A one-way flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport emits approximately 0.32 tons of CO2.
The concept is to offset the emissions by funding a scheme that will remove or store the equivalent amount of carbon elsewhere, typically through the planting of trees.
The deception of carbon offsetting schemes
or ‘flight shame.’
Carbon offsetting at most cancels out emissions that have already been released into the atmosphere, but does not reduce them as travelers sometimes mistakenly believe.
Have been labeled as ineffective by scientists, while others can have a negative impact.
Tree planting and forest protection initiatives, however, raise sustainability concerns. Despite this, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) projects account for about a quarter of the credits on the voluntary carbon market.
Research by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley revealed that "existing REDD+ methods most likely produce credits that stand for only a small part of the intended benefits they assert to bring about in addressing climate change."
On members of indigenous peoples and local communities who face forced displacement.
The initiative should be sustainable and serve as a long-term commitment, incorporating a clear strategy for the care and upkeep of the planted trees, and clearly demonstrate that these projects are supplementary, meaning that the actions would not have been undertaken in the absence of this initiative.
What are some alternative options to carbon offsetting for flights?
Another option is to choose destinations that are close to one's starting location, thus minimizing the need for long-term studio which sits heavily on the environment.
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Thanks to Europe's renewed interest in rail travel, long-distance train journeys are faster, more comfortable, and more affordable than ever before. Use websites such as Omio and Trainline to locate routes and prices, and purchase tickets.
Train journeys can often be faster than flights because you don’t have to arrive at the train station hours before like you do with a flight. Additionally, there's typically no limit on luggage, decreasing stress when packing.
In addition to this, it's more beneficial to be able to move freely on a train, rather than being confined to a small seat on an airplane. Trains also provide benefits such as carriages with child-friendly amenities, and on long journeys, they offer comfortable sleeping quarters, allowing you to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and saving on the cost of an overnight stay.
If you have to fly, consider choosing airlines that utilize sustainable aviation fuel and opt for an economy seat - business class passengers typically occupy more space, resulting in higher emissions than economy seats.
Flying on large commercial aircraft is a more environmentally friendly option compared to smaller planes or private jets, as it enables the transportation of more people while reducing the amount of emissions per individual trip.