From Watts Up With That?

Ah, the sweet scent of self-awareness wafting through the hallowed halls of climate orthodoxy. A new article from Nature titled “Private Aviation is Making a Growing Contribution to Climate Change” pulls back the velvet curtain on the jet-setting hypocrisy of the ultra-wealthy, and boy, is it rich. Literally. For years, skeptics like Michael Crichton have pointed out the glaring contradictions between the climate rhetoric of the global elite and their private jet-fueled lifestyles. Now, the same critique has oozed into the very peer-reviewed journals that once dismissed such observations as heresy.

The Study That Took Off

The Nature piece explores the carbon carnage of private aviation, quantifying the annual emissions of private jets at a hefty 15.6 million tons of CO2 in 2023. For context, that’s about the same as the yearly emissions of Croatia. Nearly half of these flights were under 500 km—essentially airborne Ubers for billionaires—and some were as short as 50 km. In one hilarious (or infuriating) twist, many jets weren’t even carrying passengers but were repositioned empty. Efficiency, thy name is not “private aviation.”

The report notes that while commercial aviation’s carbon footprint is broadly understood, private jets occupy a particularly egregious spot in the emissions hierarchy. They emit 5-9 times more CO2 per passenger than a commercial flight, depending on whether you’re in economy or lounging in business class. Yet, despite their planetary bloviating, the elites’ addiction to private aviation remains unchecked, with emissions growing by 46% between 2019 and 2023.

Abstract

Commercial aviation’s contribution to climate change is growing, but the global role of private aviation is not well quantified. Here we calculate the sector’s CO₂ emissions, using flight tracker data from the ADS-B Exchange platform for the period 2019 to 2023. Flight times for 25,993 private aircraft and 18,655,789 individual flights in 2019-2023 are linked to 72 aircraft models and their average fuel consumption. We find that private aviation contributed at least 15.6 Mt CO₂ in direct emissions in 2023, or about 3.6 t CO₂ per flight. Almost half of all flights (47.4%) are shorter than 500 km. Private aviation is concentrated in the USA, where 68.7% of the aircraft are registered. Flight pattern analysis confirms extensive travel for leisure purposes, and for cultural and political events. Emissions increased by 46% between 2019-2023, with industry expectations of continued strong growth. Regulation is needed to address the sector’s growing climate impact.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01775-z

Where Have We Heard This Before?

Long before Nature decided to go all National Enquirer on the Davos crowd, the late Michael Crichton was calling out the same nonsense. In his 2007 lecture, “Aliens Cause Global Warming,” Crichton argued that environmentalism had morphed into a quasi-religion for the affluent, complete with sin (carbon emissions), indulgences (carbon offsets), and a priestly class of celebrities and politicians eager to atone in public while sinning in private. Crichton’s observations didn’t just age well—they’ve fossilized into truth.

This hypocrisy has always been a favorite target for skeptics, and it’s finally catching up with the climate priesthood. Even leftist commentators have started to gnash their teeth at the contradiction: how can one scold the masses for their SUVs while gallivanting across continents in Gulfstreams?

Davos, Cannes, and COP28: Where Hypocrisy Takes Flight

The Nature article specifically names events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Cannes Film Festival, and COP28 as magnets for private jet traffic. These gatherings are not just a who’s who of climate alarmism—they’re a what’s what of conspicuous carbon consumption. In 2023 alone, Davos saw 1,559 private jet flights, while COP28, the UN’s very own climate carnival, added 1,012 flights to the tally.

Here’s the kicker: the same tail numbers pop up at multiple events. Aircraft ferrying delegates to Davos also frequent Cannes and COP28. If ever there were a carbon aristocracy, this is it.

What’s Fueling This Hypocrisy?

The ultra-wealthy’s love affair with private jets is about more than just luxury; it’s about control. Why endure the indignities of TSA pat-downs or missed connections when you can glide through your own terminal? But this convenience comes with a carbon cost that the global elite are happy to externalize—onto you.

The Nature authors recommend regulating private aviation to mitigate its emissions. But let’s not kid ourselves: any such policies would likely exempt the very people they’re meant to target. As the study acknowledges, focusing on CO2 reductions tends to disproportionately burden the less affluent. In other words, the elites’ jet-setting won’t stop, but your gas-powered car might.

The Left Eats Its Own

What’s particularly fascinating about this development is the way the left is turning on itself. Climate activists now accuse their own heroes of being complicit in the planetary apocalypse. Twitter (sorry, X) is aflame with videos like those shared by Stay Grounded, an anti-aviation network calling out celebrity CO2 offenders. Even mainstream outlets like the New York Times have started to notice the glaring disconnect between climate rhetoric and reality.

It’s Schadenfreude of the highest order: the same people who flew into COP28 to scold you for not biking to work are now being publicly skewered by their ideological comrades.

Final Approach: Will Anything Change?

Probably not. The ultra-wealthy will continue to jet around the globe while preaching austerity to the rest of us. What will change is the increasing recognition of this hypocrisy, as even climate faithful can no longer ignore the absurdity of private jets at a climate conference.

The takeaway is clear: the climate crisis, to the extent it exists, is not a crisis for the elite. It’s a crisis for everyone else, to be managed with taxes, regulations, and lifestyle restrictions that leave the jet set untouched. Until the climate faithful are willing to ground their planes, their sermons will remain as hollow as the cargo bays of their empty repositioning flights.

In the meantime, buckle up, folks. The hypocrisy show isn’t landing anytime soon.