European jet-setting on the rise

What European industry has the fastest-growing carbon emissions? You might guess the auto industry or coal potential — when, in fact, the reigning champion is air travel. With emissions growing at a rate of 5% each year according to the Europe Environment Agency, the airline business is booming, and the shock waves are causing lots of anxiety for environmental watchdogs.

Despite high fuel costs, the intense competition from low-fare airlines continues to keep prices down, opening the skies to a whole new class of jet-setters. Weekenders from the UK can hop on a plane bound for sunny southern Spain for about €50 with tax ($78), sometimes catching fares as low a €10 whether they book way in advance. Given the recent hubbub by jet emissions, you can

see why that trend is getting the attention of Europe’s climate scientists.

Here are some numbers to put that jet-setting boom in perspective. In 2005, about 60 million Europeans took advantage of these low-fare deals. By 2007, that number had doubled to 120 million. That trend is supposed to cool down, mind you, on explanation of higher fuel prices, but by no means do industry reps expect it to stop.

Aside from the base level of emissions from the additional flights, there is another residual effect that green-minded Europeans are worried about. As tourism spikes, condo construction is stretching out by greater expanses of popular tourist areas — creating long-term environmental impacts on each destination. Guess Greenpeace didn’t ruin the Spanish tourism industry after all.

[Source] Josh Loposer

deforestation wildlife nature go green solar dryer organic food tankless water heater carbon dioxide solar power fuel cells solar powered cars earth science dictionary solar water heater peak oil earth day polar bears recycling climate change recycle renewable energy solar cells sustainability recycling facts epa climate map solar panels energy star environment going green planet earth science news tankless water heaters effects of global warming national wildlife federation climate graphs ocean pollution cause of global warming alternative energy solar genetically modified food water pollution greenhouse effect free energy solar energy water heaters earth green water carbon footprint wind power conservation earth science waste management what is global warming energy conservation natural resources photovoltaic thermal energy an inconvenient truth geothermal energy causes of global warming pollution green guy electric cars bottled water hybrid cars global warming facts kyoto protocol planet department of energy mother earth science magazine greenhouse gases popular science compost land pollution endangered species list organic air pollution water conservation environmental issues hybrid vehicles mother earth news ecology solar panel wind energy human nature endangered species solar cell global warming price of oil electronic waste oil prices noise pollution fossil fuels hybrid car green building composting consequences of global warming al gore