A report by The Guardian found that private jets belonging to 200 celebrities, CEOs, oligarchs, and billionaires have collectively spent a total of 11 years in the air since the beginning of 2022.
The carbon footprint of these flights, totaling 44,739 journeys, is equivalent to the emissions of nearly 40,000 Britons. The Guardian used public data to track flights of private aircraft owned or used by notable figures such as Elon Musk, the Rolling Stones, the Murdoch family, and Kylie Jenner over 21 months, revealing an estimated 415,518 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Among the most polluting jets was a Boeing 767 used by the Rolling Stones, emitting 5,046 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 1,763 return flights from London to New York City in economy class. Aircraft owned by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, owner of the Aston Martin Formula One team, recorded 1,512 flights, with a significant number being short journeys.
Thirty-nine jets linked to Russian oligarchs were responsible for 30,701 tonnes of CO2.
The findings follow a surge in private jet use since the Covid-19 pandemic, with forecasts indicating record-high jet sales.
Some celebrities, like Taylor Swift, have altered their behavior after criticism, with Swift reducing her jet flights from an average of 19 times a month to just over two. The data is part of a series on carbon inequality, revealing stark differences in emissions between the wealthy and poor within countries and contributing to the broader issue of carbon inequality.
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