The greenhouse gas emissions by air traffic have almost reached the level of the years before Corona Pandemic. In the previous year, 2.97 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were emitted. The VCö mobility organization called for the introduction of kerosine tax and the expansion of rail traffic.
As the VCö announced on Thursday, 2.97 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions were driven out in the previous year by air traffic and eleven percent more than 2023. In 2019, the previous maximum value was achieved with 2.99 million tonnes.
A third because of CO2 emissions
The figures from the VCö (Verkehrsclub Austria) are based on a self -analysis based on kerosine consumption in Austria. Ten years ago in 2014, air traffic in Austria caused 2.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, 20 years ago in 2004 around 1.8 million tons. According to the German Aerospace Center (DLR), approximately 3.5 percent of world heating worldwide is the report of air traffic. However, only one third of the climate effect on CO2 emissions goes back, the other two-thirds are therefore due to non-CO2 effects.
Short and medium distance flights particularly harmful
“The climate crisis quickly becomes tighter. It is therefore essential that air traffic emissions will be reduced quickly and secondly,” emphasized VCA expert Katharina Jaschinsky. Companies can make a contribution by replacing part of the business flights with video conferences and moving another part where it is possible. According to the Federal Environment Agency, a flight caused about 27 times as much CO2 per person as the journey by train, the Vcö emphasized.
According to the mobility organization, the use of e-cerosene must also be accelerated. In addition to greenhouse gases, the burning of kerosene also causes pollutants. Especially in the field of large airports, air traffic increases harmful dust pollution, as a study by the Dutch Institute CE Delft has shown in the previous year.
According to VCö in 2024, a study by the Federal Environmental Office for Vienna-Schwechat came to the conclusion that “the measuring points in the area of the airport are exposed to higher emissions of ultra-small particles such as the large city area”. The VCö continues: “The Ultra women concentrations show a clear connection with the number of flight movements per half hour.”
Vcö demands kerosine tax
“Despite the large climate damage, airlines for flight fuel kerosene do not pay a mineral oil tax,” the mobility organization criticized. If the mineral oil tax for Eurosuper is taken as the basis, the tax favor for air traffic in Austria last year was around 570 million euros, the VCö. The profiteers are therefore frequent flyers. According to the Microcensus of Statistics Austria from 2023, only seven percent of the population traveled more than three times on the plane.
Last but not least called on the Vcö until the end of the tax exemption of kerosene for aircraft at EU level. In addition, the EU and its Member States must expand and improve the range of Cross -Border Rail. “Europe needs more train. The infrastructure must be expanded and modernized, the number of international connections to increase considerably and booking and planning international train journeys should be easier,” emphasized VCA expert Katharina Jaschinsky.
Source: Krone
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