Treasurer Jim Chalmers says complacency over climate change could seriously damage the Australian economy and put the nation's security at risk.
  • Whirlybird@aussie.zone
    ·
    10 months ago

    Get the billionaires and millionaires to stop taking thousands of private jet trips every day and the problem is basically solved. That won't happen though because they want everyone else to reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining their globe trotting ways.

    • Ilandar@aussie.zone
      ·
      10 months ago

      Bad and incorrect oversimplification of the problem. Aviation, particularly private aviation, is responsible for only a small minority of total global emissions and has a relatively negligible impact on climate change. It might feel good to pretend you don't have to change your lifestyle because "rich man bad" but that's not an accurate reflection of reality. Everyone has a responsibility here.

      • Whirlybird@aussie.zone
        ·
        10 months ago

        It might feel good to pretend you don’t have to change your lifestyle

        There's really not much that the every man can do though. Driving an electric vehicle does nothing. I have solar already but our power companies and government have made them basically pointless with battery systems being prohibitively expensive. It's businesses and rich people doing the heavy lifting of climate damage.

        Also not really sure why you say aviation has a relatively negligible impact when your own link says otherwise?

        Aviation is widely known for its carbon footprint, with the industry contributing 2.5% to the global CO₂ burden. While some may argue that this pales in comparison with other sectors, carbon is only responsible for a third of aviation’s full climate impact. Non-CO₂ emissions (mainly NOₓ and ice trails made from aircraft water vapour) make up the remaining two-thirds.

        Taking all aircraft emissions into account, flying is responsible for around 5% of human-induced climate change.

        1/20th of ALL human induced climate change isn't "relatively negligible".

        • Ilandar@aussie.zone
          ·
          10 months ago

          Also not really sure why you say aviation has a relatively negligible impact when your own link says otherwise?

          Do you understand the meaning of the word "relatively"?

          5% is negligible when you consider that a) this is the total impact of all aviation - not just "billionaires and millionaires" and private aviation which would be an even lower percentage and b) it is a significantly lower figure than that of other contributors, such as livestock, which has been estimated at 15% or even higher. And while we're on the topic of livestock, I notice that you conveniently didn't mention diet at all even though it is something that the "every man" can address right now.

          • Whirlybird@aussie.zone
            ·
            10 months ago

            I do, but 5% is not relatively small in any meaning of the word when it comes to things that contribute to climate change.

            • Ilandar@aussie.zone
              ·
              10 months ago

              It is small relative to the size of other contributions.

              You claimed that the problem of climate change can be "basically solved" by preventing billionaires and millionaires from flying on private jets. You are either suggesting a total emissions reduction of <5% is satisfactory, in which case you would be a) wrong and b) admitting that the global contribution from aviation is indeed relatively negligible, or you are suggesting that the 5% figure is wrong and aviation in fact makes up a much higher percentage of global emissions in which case you are also wrong.