A new report from Greenpeace underlines the need to change from climate harming planes to eco-friendly trains.
We quote from the summary of the report:
Short-haul flights (under 1500km) account for a quarter of EU aviation emissions. In addition to the CO2 impact, the non-CO2 impact of air transport (e.g. oxides of nitrogen (NOx), soot particles, water vapour) is two times worse than its CO2 emissions, as demonstrated by independent scientists and confirmed by a study published by the
European Commission.
Compared to trains, the climate impact of short-haul flights is completely disproportionate.
We must encourage and enable travel that prioritises sustainability, and the future of humanity. 62 % of Europeans support a ban on short haul flights, according to a survey conducted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and a large majority support the development of daytime and night trains.
The EU must stop flying into the climate crisis, and implement a serious plan to revitalise our railways, instead of continuing to support air over rail. Rather than trying to return to the unsustainable air travel volumes of the past, we should focus on adopting less polluting and more climatefriendly solutions. A ban on short-haul flights where there are already greener alternatives, like trains under six hours, would be a good start.