Three EU presidents hopped on a private jet for a journey that would've taken less than three hours in a car, sparking outrage among the public.
According to Politico, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola took a jet from Brussels to Luxembourg and back to celebrate Schuman Day on May 9.
The same trip would've taken about two-and-a-half hours in a car. Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the flights were "justified" and necessary "due to conflicting schedules."
All three EU leaders have faced backlash over their private jet use before. Von der Leyen reportedly took 57 private flights in two years, and Costa was alleged to have used a Portuguese Air Force Falcon 50 jet for personal purposes, per Politico.
On average, a private jet produces over 2,200 pounds of planet-warming emissions per hour. A standard SUV produces less than 60 pounds per hour (0.88 pounds per mile), depending on speed and distance.
Based on estimates, the three presidents created more than 1,600 pounds of emissions. In a car, it would've been closer to 150 pounds. That's over 10 times more pollution for a single trip.
People are not only angry about the disregard for the planet's health. The presidents' actions contradict their own goals of making transportation greener. The European Green Deal aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. If leaders continue to carelessly use private jets, that will be impossible.
This was also not an international emergency. They flew because these leaders "wanted to celebrate Schuman Day together with Prime Minister Luc Frieden in Luxembourg," according to Pinho.
Many people are furious about this hypocrisy and abuse of resources, feeling a mix of anger and hopelessness.
"How much carbon footprint was abused???" someone wondered on Politico's Facebook post about the incident.
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Definitely 👍 Another person highlighted the frustration of trying to live more sustainably while the upper class and world leaders waste more and more.
"And I'm sitting here drinking from a limp paper straw," they wrote.
"The Green Deal is definitely dead," someone else commented in disappointment.
This situation is disheartening, but the Green Deal is not dead. Holding leaders accountable for planet-polluting actions and reminding them to follow their own policies is essential. Public pressure is the key to stopping people in power from abusing the planet.
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