‘greenwash’ air transport

Last month in Paris, Greenpeace France activists entered the Charles De Gaulle airport to paint a plane green and deploy banners to shine a light on greenwashing in the aviation industry.

To protest the French government’s most recent weak climate bill, Greenpeace activists did what lobbyists wish they could do — ‘greenwash’ air transport.

Over the past several months, the French government has been pushing the narrative that carbon compensation and hypothetical “green planes” could be the solution to minimizing aviation’s role in the climate crisis. The proposed law also aims to limit airport expansions, but contains so many loopholes that it allows all current expansion plans to continue. This despite a recent public consultation that found substantial public support for air traffic reduction to curb emissions.

Around the world, Greenpeace is demanding that governments step up their climate ambitions and build back fossil free. That will mean reducing short-haul flights, cancelling new airport extensions, and developing sustainable transportation alternatives. Onwards!