Greenpeace blasts number of private jets heading to WEF

The controversy surrounding private jets isn't new but the pandemic brought private jets back into fashion. © Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Environmental group Greenpeace has criticised the “hypocrisy” of elites gathering in Davos next week for the World Economic Forum (WEF) for their use of private jets amid mounting climate change concerns.

A few days ahead of the WEF’s annual meeting from January 16-20, Greenpeace has warned of the damage caused by the number of private jets shuttling to and from Davos.

According to an analysis by the Dutch consulting firm CE Delft and Greenpeace, the number of private jets to and from airports serving Davos doubled during WEF 2022, which took place in May. This amounted to 1,040 private jet flights during the annual meeting week.

These flights contributed 9,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is equal to the emissions of about 350,000 average cars in a week. This means that emissions from private jet flights quadrupled in the week of the meeting compared to the weeks before and after the event.

“The rich and powerful flock to Davos in ultra-polluting, socially inequitable private jets to discuss climate and inequality behind closed doors,” said Greenpeace in a press releaseExternal link on Friday.

Of all these private jets arriving for WEF, most were for short-haul flights. Some 53% were less than 750 km and 38% were ultra-short flights of less than 500 km. The shortest flight recorded was only 21 km. The countries with the highest total number of arrivals and departures to and from Davos were Germany, France and Italy.

Old controversy, new spotlight

Controversy surrounding private jets at WEF isn’t new. This was particularly the case in 2019, when Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg attended the elite gathering. However, private flights have been back in fashion since the pandemic. 

“Given 80% of the world’s population has never even flown, but suffers from the consequences of climate-damaging aviation emissions, and that the WEF claims to be committed to the Paris Climate agreement, this annual private jet bonanza is a distasteful masterclass in hypocrisy,” writes Greenpeace. The world elite must set a good example and ban private jets and “useless short-haul flights,” it demanded.

In response to the criticism, WEF organisers toldExternal link the German-language paper Tages-Anzeiger that it offsets the entire CO2 consumption by supporting environmental projects throughout the world with the Swiss firm South Pole. It also encourages participants to travel by train.

Some 379 public figures are expected at the WEF’s 52nd annual meeting, which opens on January 16. This includes 52 heads of state and government.