I don't know why I continue to be amazed at the willingness of Europe, including the UK, to curtail freedoms as they see fit. They are considering rationing air travel to combat Global Warming. Why am I thinking there will be a class or two of people for which said rules won't apply?
The UK's so-called "environment czar" last week raised the possibility of rationing air travel, limiting UK citizens to just a few vacation trips abroad by air per year in order to reduce the impact of carbon dioxide emissions.
Adair Turner, chairman of the independent Committee on Climate Change that advises UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, made the proposal before Parliament's Environmental Audit Select Committee on Feb. 5. In remarks widely reported by UK media, Turner said, "We will have to constrain demand in an absolute sense with people not allowed to make as many journeys as they could in an unconstrained manner."
DAMN, Socialism, Communism, Marxism in Uk as well. I know it has been there since the New Jerk took over but he is getting worse. Obama shoudl get along with him quite well.
Posted by: WBestPresidentEver | Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 08:38 AM
The British, along with the Irish, have to be the most traveling people in the world. They go everywhere and they have second homes everywhere. EasyJet and RyanAir have made travel so cheap that they weekend in Europe all the time. Men have their stag parties in Berlin.
I don't think anything will come of it. And, besides, the Brits are becoming non-believers or non-alarmists about global warming.
Posted by: Lala | Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Now that's just silly.
Air travel remains the most efficient - and in some cases, only - means of travel for any distance over 500mi.
A jet-liner packed full of about 300 people (say an AirBus 330) can travel around 5,000 nautical miles, lifting some 230 tonnes of mass and using around 36,700 gallons of fuel.
That equates to about 1.3t per person travelling 5,000NM using 122gal. of fuel.
The typical automobile weighs around 1.5t - 2.0t, and assuming a typical MPG of 25MPG, would use (5000NM/25gal)= 200gal. of fuel to arrive at the same destination, assuming a straight line point-to-point travel, exclusive of stops or traffic conditions (such as traffic jams or thru-city travel).
In short, air travel as in many respects *far* more fuel efficient (and therefore carbon conserving) than car travel.
Details for an Airbus 330:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A330
Posted by: seekeronos | Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 01:16 PM
It will affect British aviation, but probably not travel. Citizens who want to fly will jump over to Ireland or the mainland and go wherever they want. But,hey, when the oceans flood and it stops snowing in England, it won't be the UK's fault.
Posted by: Scott | Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 01:49 PM