Sir, – John Fitzgerald accepts that since Ireland is an island, we are going to remain dependent on air travel (“Turning aviation green requires the stick of emission charges”, Economy, December 15th). Nonetheless, there are measures that Ireland can take to substantially reduce aviation emissions.
Firstly, ban private jets from using Irish airports. CO2 emissions from private jets per passenger are a multiple of emissions for a normal flight. According to a Greenpeace report (CO2 emissions of private aviation in Europe) private jet flights from Ireland rose from 858 flights in 2020 to a staggering 6,671 in 2022.
Many of these flights are between Dublin and London, and it is difficult to see why such travellers cannot use scheduled flights.
Secondly, connect airports to public transport. If people can only reach the airport by car, this increases air travel related emissions.
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Dublin is the only European capital city where the airport has no rail connection; Dublin airport is now Ireland’s biggest car park. Meanwhile, there are even further delays to the long promised Metrolink airport rail connection…
Thirdly, at European level support measures by national governments to ban short-haul flights on routes that could be travelled by rail.
The flip side of this: accelerate the construction of a Europe wide, high-speed rail network.
Fourthly, ensure the “sail/rail” connection between Dublin and London is reliable and a plausible alternative to flying. – Yours, etc,
JAMES WICKHAM
Portobello,
Dublin.