This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Saturday, 18 March 2023
The Plane Truth?
It's been known, for at least 20 years, that jet aircraft vapour trails (contrails) have big impacts on global heating. Airlines and airports have, however, opposed any measures to deal with this issue. They have routinely argued over this time, that the impact of contrails is not yet 'proved' (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/mar/18/aviation-chiefs-rejected-measures-to-curb-climate-impact-of-jet-vapours). Contrails, consist of particles of ice and soot, produced high in the atmosphere. They act as a barrier, preventing solar radiation being reflected back into space. Scientists estimate, that at least 50% of the aviation industry's impact on global heating, occurs via these non-carbon dioxide emissions. Indeed, an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, as early as 1999, suggested that the historic impact of aviation is some 2-4 times greater than that caused by its 'greenhouse gas' emissions. The aviation industry seems to have used techniques developed by climate-change denialists (e.g. suggesting that the science is uncertain), to underplay their contribution to global heating. Passengers on jets, who want to offset the environmental impact of their travel, consequently get very mixed messages. They get one figure from their airlines (based only on carbon dioxide emissions) and a much higher one from scientists (based on carbon dioxide emissions and the impact of contrails). 'How many trees, do I need to plant?' beomes a difficult question. Aviation needs to be more honest.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sandwich Island Saga 39. Extreme weather events
It's not, of course, just flash floods that will increase with global heating. Heat waves, droughts and wild fires will all become more...
-
It should hardly be called a study. A Which comparison looked at levels of nitrogen dioxide and small particulates (PM 2.5s) in 5 Londo...
-
Europe has a city congestion problem. In 2023, London was the most gridlocked location, closely followed by Paris and Dublin. In that year...
-
It's necessary, where possible, to replace diesel and petrol-fueled vehicles by electrical equivalents. Electric vehicles (EVs) don...
No comments:
Post a Comment