Let’s face it, it has to happen: Flying must become more expensive and in particular, ticket prices need to be more correlated with the quantity of Co2 a tootin’ aerial missile pumps out of its backside.

If you want to reduce aviation emissions, demand has to drop, and less planes have to fly. That’s it.

There ain’t no magical solution on the horizon for cutting off the poopin’.

Let’s not pretending that increasing the Co2 efficiency per passenger kilometre has meaning in a money-money-money civilisation.

On this note, this recent Guardian article is interesting:

“The German government is backing an extension of EU carbon pricing that will end free carbon permits for airlines, putting pressure on the UK to put in place a similar package to meet climate targets.

“The European Commission will propose a dozen climate policies on 14 July, each designed to slash greenhouse gases faster in line with an EU goal to cut net emissions by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels.

“The package will include reforms to the EU carbon market and a border levy to impose CO2 costs on imported goods. All the policies will need approval from EU governments and the European parliament.

“Boris Johnson has pledged to give details of how the UK will meet climate targets ahead of the Cop26 conference in Glasgow this year.”

That guy and his pledges. Pinocchio has a lot of catching up to do.

So not only is this a planetary clusterfuck, it’s a EU vs Brexit clusterfuck too.

Fantastico!

Perhaps you were surprised to see that airlines in Europe still have Get-Out-Of-Jail cards when it comes to letting the Co2 rip? Basically, they’re still allowed to pollute because “Capitalism” and “Jobs” and “maintaining quality of life”.

But this is all shakier and shakier when it comes to jet planes.

In the UK:

“Ministers are concerned that the costs of transition arrangements to reduce emissions 78% by 2035 will dramatically force up the cost of fuel for transportation, including flying, potentially prompting protests and a backbench rebellion by Tory MPs.”

But this has to dramatically force up the cost of fuel. Where are we living? La La Land? You don’t get to put your fingers in your ears and pretend reality ain’t coming at you like a low-flying Boeing.

I’d personally love to do so, but being dumb doesn’t really help, either.

Ironically the UK government didn’t offer a sou to help save Eurostar financially a few months back, as Covid-19 basically killed the magic trains business under the Channel.

It looks like Europe will simply force the UK to add similar levies to flights between the UK and Europe, whether they like it or not. Even Boris playing a Joker won’t help fix this one.

These carbon permits are a joke anyway and need to be tightened up immensely in the years to come.

“Berlin this year imposed a national CO2 levy on suppliers of heating and transport fuels, set at an initial €25 (£21.50) a tonne. However, the plan to reform the EU-wide system and impose higher costs on heavy carbon users is facing pushback from some EU governments and lawmakers, who fear it could translate into higher household fuel bills.

“Brussels is under pressure to come up with a compensation scheme to ensure governments have enough resources to address the policy’s social impact – particularly on low-income households and people who rent their homes, Germany has said.”

Whenever you spot a mess on the horizon, inequality is often lurking in the background, waiting to make things worse.

Fun times ahead!