People unhappy with world leaders' choice of travel to COP26
Boris Johnson will be taking the short flight home from the conference
Last updated 3rd Nov 2021
There's outrage on social media over the ways which some world leaders are travelling to and from the COP26 climate conference.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew by private jet to Scotland from Rome, where he was attending the G20 summit, to speak to other world leaders on the importance of reducing emissions.
He will also make the short flight home via private jet, which is said to be run partly on sustainable fuel, instead of taking the four-and-a-half hour train.
It's not the first time the Prime Minister has been criticised for his use of travel, after it emerged he flew from London to Cornwall to attend the G7 climate summit in June.
Are world leaders travelling unnecessarily?
Over 400 private jets arrived in Scotland for the conference, causing a traffic jam that forced empty planes to fly 30 miles to land safely, according to the Mail Online.
US President Joe Biden spent two days at COP26 before flying home on Air Force One last night.
Where it may have been difficult for the President to reach Glasgow without flying, he has been criticised after video footage emerged of his entourage.
The number of motor vehicles accompanying the President has been dubbed by some to be unnecessary and inappropriate considering the reason of his visit.
It was also expected that President Biden would fly via helicopter from Edinburgh's Dalmahoy Hotel to the conference yesterday, but weather conditions forced him to go by car.
European Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, hailed COP26 as a "moment of truth" for the future of the planet's climate battle, but has too been scrutinised.
Analysis from The Telegraph shows that Von der Leyen, who flew via private jet to the climate conference, ordered "air taxis" for 18 out of her 34 official trips since taking the role in 2019.
The top EU official even reportedly flew a 31-mile trip from Vienna to Bratislava, which would have taken just over an hour by train.
READ MORE: Joe Biden slaps down China and Russia as he jets out of Cop26 in Glasgow
READ MORE: World leaders at COP26 agree to end deforestation by 2030
Is flying private really that bad for the environment?
Flights were responsible for some 85 per cent of recent COP conferences’ carbon footprints, according to research from Financial Times.
Of the 53,374 tonnes of CO2 produced on average by the COP23, COP24 and COP25 events, 45,264 came from air travel.
Accommodation accounted for 4,220 tonnes, 2,135 tonnes came from heat and electricity for the conference venues, 616 from local transport and 1,139 from “other” sources, according to FT data.
A separate 2020 study also found that private jets emitted nearly 34 million metric tons of carbon pollution in 2016, which is more than what some countries produce in a whole year.
The study also revealed that four hours of flying on a private jet gives off as much greenhouse gas pollution as the average European citizen does in a year.
What's the reaction?
Many have taken to social media to express their outrage over the apparent double standards on display from some world leaders.
There's also been reaction from Extinction Rebellion climate activists, who have recently taken to blocking gates at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire.
The airport is for private use only, and is widely used by businessmen for its easy access into London.
Some have hit out at Prince Charles, who also gave an opening Speech to the COP26 conference on 1 November.
He reportedly took a private jet to Rome for the G20 summit, before flying back privately to Glasgow to attend COP26 on a jet which partly uses sustainable fuel.
Billboards have been set up around Glasgow amid COP26 calling some members of the Royal Family 'climate change hypocrites'.
A Crowdfunder campaign set up to erect more billboards across the country has raised over £33,000 pounds.
World Leaders at COP26
Angela Merkel arrives at Cop26
Other prominent climate activists and leaders were taking part in negotiations. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met young climate campaigners Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate and called on leaders to "put their egos aside" to work on the common issue of solving the climate crisis.
Boris Johnson waits to greet leaders at Cop26
Boris Johnson at the Cop26 Action and Solidarity session
Prince Charles and Joe Biden at Cop26
French president Emmanuel Macron at Cop26
Nicola Sturgeon at the Cop26 World Leaders Summit
Boris Johnson at Cop26
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