Annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from private aviation rose by 46 % between 2019 and 2023, according to a study in Communications Earth & Environment.
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The findings also reveal that some frequent private jet users may generate nearly 500 times the CO2 emissions of an average individual each year, with emission spikes observed around major global events like COP 28 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Private aviation, used by about 0.003 % of the global population, is highly energy-intensive, producing substantially more CO2 per passenger than commercial flights. However, its true global scale and emissions impact remain poorly understood.
In their study, Stefan Gössling and colleagues analyzed data from 18,655,789 private flights involving 25,993 registered business jets between 2019 and 2023, covering the majority of private aviation. They estimated the CO2 output of each flight by combining the aircraft model’s fuel consumption rates with flight duration and trajectory, revealing a cumulative output of 15.6 million tonnes of CO2 in 2023—about 3.6 tonnes per flight. This marked a 46 % rise since 2019, representing around 1.8 % of 2023’s commercial aviation emissions.
The study also highlights a significant increase in private flights around major events, such as COP 28, which saw 644 private flights emitting 4,800 tonnes of CO2, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, associated with 1,846 flights releasing 14,700 tonnes of CO2. The highest-emitting individuals contributed 2,400 tonnes of CO2 each in 2023, nearly 500 times the 4.5 tonnes produced per person in 2020.
These findings emphasize the substantial impact of private aviation on emissions and climate change.
Journal Reference:
Gössling, S. et. al. (2024) Private aviation is making a growing contribution to climate change. Communications Earth & Environment. doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01775-z