The growing popularity of private jet travel is a glaring contradiction in an age where climate change demands urgent, collective action. While these aircraft offer unmatched convenience and exclusivity, their environmental cost is impossible to ignore. According to research by Transport & Environment, a European clean transport campaign group, private jets are up to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than trains (“Private jets: can the super rich supercharge zero emission aviation?” Transport & Environment, 2021).
The appeal of private aviation is clear. It offers time-pressed executives, celebrities and the ultra-wealthy the flexibility to travel on their own schedule, avoid crowded airports and maintain privacy. But this convenience comes at a staggering environmental price. Each hour in the air can emit up to two tonnes of carbon dioxide, meaning a single transatlantic trip may generate more emissions than the average person in the EU produces in an entire year (“CO2 emissions from private jets.” European Federation for Transport and Environment AISBL, 2021).
In the context of ESG thinking, this poses a reputational and ethical problem for individuals and organisations alike. Companies committed to reducing their carbon footprint cannot credibly champion net zero strategies while continuing to rely on private jets for corporate travel. This hypocrisy risks undermining stakeholder trust and negating the gains made through other sustainability initiatives.
At your next AGM of a publicly listed company ask how many private jet flights any of their employees took.
The ESG Foundation has previously highlighted how innovation can help address environmental challenges in Bright Ideas: Advancements in Solar Energy, pointing to the need for rapid adoption of cleaner technologies. In the aviation sector, while experimental electric aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels show promise, these are not yet viable at scale. Until such alternatives become widespread, the only genuinely sustainable choice is to reduce private jet use drastically.
There is also an equity dimension to consider. In Greening the Screen: Tackling ESG Challenges in the UK Film and TV Industry, the Foundation explored how industries can take responsibility for their environmental impact. Private jet travel stands out as a luxury accessible to a tiny fraction of the global population, yet it disproportionately contributes to the climate crisis that affects everyone. Continuing to normalise such travel deepens the perception that climate responsibility is optional for the wealthy.
Approximately 40 million commercial flights take off worldwide each year, private jets accounting for around 1 million flights annually globally – roughly 2.5% of commercial flight volume. Yet, private jets produce up to 14 times more CO₂ per passenger than commercial flights (Transport & Environment, 2021).
Alternatives exist. High-speed rail in Europe offers a comfortable and significantly lower-carbon option for journeys of under 1,000 kilometres. For longer trips, scheduled commercial flights, especially those using newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, dramatically reduce per-passenger emissions. Advances in virtual conferencing also allow many business meetings to take place without travel at all.
If ESG principles mean anything, they require consistency. It is time for organisations and individuals who claim to prioritise environmental stewardship to make a clear choice: either embrace lower-carbon modes of travel or admit that convenience outweighs commitment. The climate emergency leaves no room for half-measures. As the ESG Foundation continues to document, the solutions are within reach – but are you willing to take them?