In the fight against climate change: the Environment Committee wants to tax luxury jets more heavily

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The figures are impressive: just one percent of the world’s population is responsible for half of global CO₂ emissions from aircraft. After all, a private jet produces ten times more emissions per capita than a scheduled flight.

According to an analysis by the environmental protection organization Greenpeace, more than 35,000 private jets will have taken off in Switzerland alone in 2022 – more than 60 percent more than the previous year. They produced no less than 166,000 tons of CO₂. This roughly corresponds to the annual emissions of all residents of the city of Freiburg. Greenpeace would therefore prefer to immediately ban the private jets of the super-rich.

500 to 3,000 francs per flight

The Environment and Energy Committee of the National Council does not want to go that far. But she also wants to make the super-rich pay more. A center-left majority wants flights of private and business jets weighing more than 5.7 tons to be subject to a new tax. The committee requested this when discussing the Federal Council’s draft CO₂ law with 14 votes in favor, 9 against and one abstention.

The tax should be between 500 and 3,000 francs per flight. The money must be used for climate protection measures. The Commission wants to ensure that private and business flights, which cause particularly high emissions per capita, make an additional financial contribution.

The National Council Committee is not alone in its demand. In addition to an existing luxury tax in Italy, Austria, France and the Netherlands also called for stricter rules for private jets in a letter to the European Commission.

“Private jet flights are a hobby of the super-rich. But we cannot all pay for it,” said Austrian Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (46). “Anyone who damages our climate must also make a fair contribution. Because we all bear the consequences of this luxury travel.”

Rösti warns against administrative efforts

However, the claim is likely to have a difficult time in Switzerland. The middle-class majority in the Council of States rejected such a stimulus tax during the autumn session. It was argued that the effect was small given the small number of aircraft affected.

The Federal Council also goes too far with a luxury tax on private jets. He doubts whether this will actually lead to a reduction in flight movements. Environment Minister Albert Rösti (56) pointed out that this concerns only one percent of flight movements. He warned about the administrative burdens.

Source:Blick