According to NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, global air travel and transport is responsible for 3.5 percent of all drivers of climate change from human activities. Studies have found that per person emissions on commercial aircraft are not extraordinarily high. But research finds that private jet travel is 10 to15 times more polluting than commercial airliners and per person carbon dioxide emissions are extremely high.
A movement to ban the use of private jets has been developing in recent years, led by Extinction Rebellion and other climate activist groups — some of whom have employed non-violent direct action to block the doors of airports servicing private jet clients.
Citizens concerned about this issue in Massachusetts have formed a coalition to cancel a major expansion of a private jet facility at Hanscom Field, a commercial airport in Bedford, Massachusetts. The coalition opposes the plan — which is supported by the Massachusetts Port Authority, or MassPort, which will triple private jet capacity — much of it for luxury trips to resort destinations for the privileged few. Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Alex Chatfield, a member of the Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere, who talks about their campaign and the movement to ban private jets.
For more information on Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere, visit stopprivatejetexpansion.org or www.spje.org.
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