HomeCarbon NewsFrance Bans Short-Haul Flights to Slash Aviation CO2 Footprint

France Bans Short-Haul Flights to Slash Aviation CO2 Footprint

France has formally banned domestic flights on short routes that can be covered by train to cut the aviation’s carbon footprint. 

The ban was proposed two years ago and finally came into effect via a decree. It applies to public flights between destinations where a train travel of less than two-and-a-half hours is available. 

The change will rule out air travels between Paris and cities such as Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux. The ban doesn’t cover connecting flights. 

Reducing Aviation Carbon Footprint

The aviation sector is one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon emissions that drive global climate change. Airlines emit more than 900 million tonnes of CO2 annually, accounting for 2% of the global CO2 emissions.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) thinks that the present airline emissions goals are not ambitious enough. To bring the industry to a net zero emission, airlines must show bold commitments. Some major airline companies opt to invest in scaling up hydrogen-electric aviation solutions while others promote SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). 

But when COVID-19 pandemic hit, airlines were largely affected as the number of flights declined to over 40% from 2019. France decided to employ bolder rules.

Some airlines had requested the European Commission to assess if the French government’s decision was legal. While critics called the measure “symbolic bans”.

Laurent Donceel from the industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E) pointed out that governments should support “real and significant solutions” to aviation emissions, instead of “symbolic bans”. He added that “banning these trips will only have minimal effects” on the industry’s carbon footprint. 

A4E asserted its own net zero by 2050 plan, which includes shifting to clean fuel sources and flying battery- or hydrogen-powered airplanes. 

Symbolic Ban or Essential Step?

France is home to a large high-speed rail network. The law specifies that train services on the banned routes must be satisfactory, meaning frequent, timely and well-connected. 

The alternative train travel must be able to meet the passenger’s needs who would otherwise fly. The rail network must also absorb the surge in passengers. 

People on affected flights must be able to travel back and forth via train on the same day after spending 8 hours on their destination. 

According to a French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir, a “plane emits 77x more CO2 per passenger than a train” on those short-haul routes. But train travel costs less though it takes forty minutes more.

The group also called on assurance that the railway won’t increase ticket prices or lower their service quality. 

French transport minister, Clément Beaune, hailed the move as an “essential step in reducing GHG emissions”. He also said that it was in line with the government’s policy of promoting the use of transport modes that pollute less. 

CO2 Footprint Per Mode of Transport (per passenger per km)

carbon footprint of different modes of transport
Emissions per passenger per km from different modes of transport. Source: UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 2019 Government Greenhouse Gas Conversion Factors

The move comes as France has also been debating how to slash aviation footprint from private jets. The use of these jets by rich people prompts a big concern for the climate. 

Earlier this year, Greenpeace revealed that the number of flights by private jets in Europe in 2022 increased by 64%. It hit a record high of 572,000+ flights. It was more than doubled last year, surpassing the annual per capita carbon emissions of 550,000 EU citizens.

While Green MPs have been calling to ban small private air travels, Beaune decided to impose a higher climate charge for private flyers from next year.

Most Popular
LATEST CARBON NEWS

Zimbabwe Allows Developers to Keep More Profits from Carbon Credits

Zimbabwe has amended its new carbon law governing carbon credit projects, dropping the initial plan to give 25% of the revenue to local communities...

Suriname Takes the Lead in Selling Carbon Credits Under Paris Agreement

One of the few carbon-negative countries, Suriname, aims to be the first nation to sell carbon credits created by the Paris Agreement also known...

Battery Startups Attract Mega-Investments and American Lithium’s Discovery

Here’s a Key Summary: Battery Boom: Discover how battery startups are securing record-breaking investments, reflecting the burgeoning potential of the sector. A Lithium Gamechanger:...

IEA’s 2023 Net Zero Roadmap: Tripling Renewables and Electrifying the Energy Transition

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest Net Zero Roadmap suggests that tripling renewables capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030 is one way to reach...
CARBON INVESTOR EDUCATION

Climate Disclosure: New Corporate Standards for a Net Zero World

As part of the world’s continued efforts to combat climate change and transition towards net zero, one important piece of the puzzle is new...

Carbon Pricing: Understanding The Economics and Trends of Fighting Climate Change

As global temperatures continue to rise, the urgency surrounding climate policies has intensified, thrusting carbon pricing into the limelight of climate discussions. The race to...

The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): Key Things to Know

Companies operating in the European Union will have to deal with new non-financial and sustainability reporting requirements starting January 2024 with the EU's Corporate...

Who Certifies Carbon Credits?

Anybody can say that they’re offsetting their carbon footprint and get financial support for it, which is good. But here’s another version of the...