Environment 'devastated by tax-free airline fuel'

The Independent, 23 November 2005 - Aviation fuel is untaxed, despite the growing evidence that it is undermining international efforts to reduce the damaging gases that cause global warming.

The high cost of air travel

ENVIRONMENTAL COST PER PASSENGER OF A RETURN FLIGHT FROM LONDON TO:

AMSTERDAM

Miles: 217
Fuel: 36 kg
Greenhouse gases: 341 kg CO2

The greenhouse gas emitted per passenger is equivalent to the weight of 179 Edam cheeses.

ATHENS
Miles: 1,485
Fuel: 250 kg
Greenhouse gases: 2,336 kg CO2

After visiting, someone would have to go without heating, cooking, lighting and mechanised transport for 2 years and 9 months to make up for their impact on the environment.

DUBLIN
Miles: 288
Fuel: 48kg
Greenhouse gases: 891 kg CO2

Travelling by car and ferry is 13 times more considerate to the ozone layer than flying.

OSLO
Miles: 714
Fuel: 120 kg
Greenhouse gases: 1,122 kg CO2

The amount of carbon emitted " equivalent to the weight of four reindeer " would be cut by 85 per cent through travelling by car.

NEW YORK
Miles: 3,455
Fuel: 414 kg
Greenhouse gases: 3,863 kg CO2

A visitor would have to take 700 two-hour bus tours of the Big Apple to emit the same amount of CO2.

SYDNEY
Miles: 10,557
Fuel: 1,196 kg
Greenhouse gases: 11,149 kg CO2

The carbon emitted per passenger is equivalent to a mini driving around the earth 640 times, or the weight of four Indian elephants.

Figures on jet fuel and greenhouse gases based on 80% occupancy on jumbo jet DC-747.
All greenhouse gases expressed as warming equivalent in CO2.

Source: air travel calculator at www.chooseclimate.org and United Nations Environment Programme.