Originally Posted by
polax52
Aviation Emissions are becoming the priority for European Green movements. In my opinion this is destructive and unfair. Aircraft manufacturers are moving rapidly towards emissions free Planes but currently the technology for complete zero emission aircraft does not exist. On the other hand the technology does exist for zero emission cars and power on the ground therefore it would be more effective to encourage people to use only emission free options on the ground. By keeping the aviation industry low tax and continuing to grow the industry allows focus on removing the problem in the air.
Most Europeans use unclean petrol engines to drive at least 10,000 miles per year which is totally unnecessary (technologically) and more environmentally unfriendly than flying. Aviation has just become easy to attack for the Green Politicians as the family income of their electorate is not effected by aviation but it is effected by changes that could be made immediately.
Aviation will become Green and sustainable given reasonable time but stopping flying is clearly not the solution. Investment is the solution.
If you think that driving is totally unnecessary because of technology, what makes you so sure that aviation is still required? The same technology that you claim makes driving unnecessary makes flying even less necessary. Take the unnecessary business flights away and you probably don't have an industry, that's one sure way to be carbon neutral.