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What is flight shaming ?
Did you know that flight shaming came from Sweden? Flight shaming, or "flygskam,” became popular in 2018. The concept is simple: flight shaming encourages us to avoid flying due to its severe environmental impact. This has become a significant environmental movement poised to reduce the carbon footprint of air travel. Spearheaded by prominent activists like Greta Thunberg, the flight shaming movement has encouraged many to reconsider their flying habits even if they don’t ditch air travel altogether.
👉 In this article, we’ll define flight shaming, discuss how it impacts our behavior and thus the environment, examine actions airlines can take, and the new technologies making stepping up to the plate for a greener future.
How did flight shaming start?
Flight shaming emerged around 2018, largely due to Greta Thunberg’s activism. Her decision to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to attend the United Nations Climate Action Summit, rather than flying, was a stark illustration of the significant carbon emissions associated with air travel. Thunberg, then 16, delivered a speech drawing attention to the fact that climate change had hit a critical point. Her speech, combined with her sea voyage, attracted global attention. Disrupting our automatic reliance on air travel, Thunberg demonstrated an alternative option while making an unforgettable statement to global policy makers.
👉 What is flight shaming? Flight shaming is a practice of highlighting the environmental impact of air travel. It began in Sweden in 2018, and garnered global attention in 2019 following Greta Thunberg’s sea voyage to the United Nations Climate Action Summit.
Flight shaming encourages behavioral changes
Flight shaming has played a crucial role in raising awareness about the environmental impact of air travel. In turn, increased awareness has led to a noticeable change in some individuals' travel habits. In Europe, this awareness has led to a phenomenon known as "train bragging," where individuals take pride in choosing trains over planes for their travel needs. Significantly, flight shaming does seem to work.
A study conducted in Sweden revealed that 23% of respondents had reduced their air travel due to the influence of flight shaming, opting instead for more sustainable alternatives like trains or buses. While skipping flights isn’t always possible, raising awareness can encourage consumers to make a more eco-friendly choice. This shift is particularly significant in regions with well-developed public transportation and train networks that serve as a ready-made alternative to short-haul flights.
As it influences consumer behavior, flight shaming plays a key role by driving demand for more sustainable travel options. By choosing airlines that prioritize environmental sustainability, supporting policies that promote green aviation, and opting for alternative modes of transportation when feasible, we can put pressure on stakeholders to take action to reduce emissions.
Flight shaming has also led to concrete policy changes. Some governments have introduced measures to reduce short-haul flights that can be easily replaced by train travel. For example, France has implemented a ban on domestic flights on routes where a train journey of 2.5 hours or less is available. While connecting flights are unaffected, this measure helps to curb the aviation industry’s impact on the environment.
👉 Flight shaming can encourage different consumer behaviors, with individuals choosing ground transportation like trains and buses over short haul flights. Policymakers are taking notice, notably France—which banned domestic flights where train journeys of 2.5 hours or less are available.
How does air travel impact the environment?
The aviation industry is responsible for about 2.8% of global CO2 emissions. In 2019, the industry shouldered 1.04 billion tonnes of a total 37.08 billion tonnes of global emissions. Beyond CO2 emissions, flights also contribute to climate change through other greenhouse gases and releasing water vapor at high altitudes. As air travel demand continues to increase, so does its impact on the environment. Flight shaming hopes to convince individuals to opt for more sustainable transport whenever possible, as this is considered one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. Aviation relies heavily on fossil fuels, and unless engineers, private sector stakeholders, and global governments invest in new technology, this is likely to continue. The industry is attempting to rise to the challenge, however, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through enhancing fuel efficiency, developing new sustainable fuels, and significantly investing in electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft solutions.
Technology can take flight shaming to the next level
New technology can actually make flying less of a burden on our planet. The trick is that private and public sector stakeholders have to work together to invest in new ways of thinking about air travel. Innovations in aircraft designs, such as the development of more fuel-efficient engines and lighter materials, can contribute to lower emissions. The Flying-V aircraft, for example, is an innovative design that integrates the passenger cabin, cargo hold, and fuel tanks into the wings, resulting in a more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient aircraft.
Electric and hybrid-electric aircraft are also being explored as potential solutions for reducing aviation emissions. While the idea of your flight running out of battery is enough to send shivers running down your spine, these planes actually use electric propulsion systems, which can significantly reduce or eliminate carbon emissions during flight. While still in the experimental stages, electric aviation has the potential to revolutionize the industry by providing a zero-emission alternative for short-haul flights.
👉 New technology like the Flying V aircraft and hybrid-electric aircraft models can be eco-friendly options that airlines can invest in to make the aviation industry more sustainable.
How can airlines help?
Air travel plays a critical role in facilitating global connectivity, trade, and tourism. A significant reduction in air travel could lead to economic downturns, particularly in sectors and regions heavily reliant on tourism and international business. For remote areas and countries with limited alternative transportation options, air travel is often the only viable means of connectivity. Additionally, flights can be vital in emergency situations, such as medical evacuations. Rather than demonize the aviation industry as a whole, companies can work together with environmentalists, scientists, and policy makers to invest in new, greener technologies.
For example, KLM has been investing in sustainable aviation fuels and exploring new aircraft designs such as the Flying-V, which aims to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20%. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition within the aviation industry of the need to address its environmental footprint. Implementing procedures to conserve fuel by optimizing flight routes, improving air traffic management, and reducing aircraft weight can make a huge difference. Similarly, offsetting carbon emissions through reforestation projects or investing in renewable energy can also help balance the environmental impact of air travel.
👉 Sometimes flying is necessary. Instead of demonizing airlines, we can all work together to create optimized flight paths, sustainable aviation fuels, and reducing aircraft weight to lessen the burden on the environment.
Flight shaming has its limits
Despite its success in shaping consumer behavior, flight shaming does have its limits. Without collaboration from policy makers and private sector stakeholders in the aviation industry, flight shaming can only go so far. Critics argue that the movement places too much of a burden on consumers when activists should be putting pressure on governments and airlines instead. Additionally, flight shaming can lead to resistance or backlash when consumers feel judged. Flight shaming can have the opposite effect, leading to individuals resisting change in the face of criticism.
Governments can play a crucial role in reducing aviation emissions by implementing regulatory measures that promote sustainability. Carbon pricing, for example, can incentivize airlines to adopt cleaner technologies and improve fuel efficiency. By assigning a cost to carbon emissions, carbon pricing encourages the aviation industry to reduce their carbon footprint and actually begin investing in sustainable alternatives. Additionally, stricter emissions standards for aircraft and incentives for airlines to use sustainable aviation fuels can help reduce the environmental impact of air travel. Sustainable aviation fuels, derived from renewable resources, have the potential to significantly lower carbon emissions compared to traditional jet fuels. Supporting the development and adoption of these new fuels through subsidies, grants, and research funding can accelerate the transition to greener aviation. These kinds of changes will have more of an impact than pressuring your neighbor not to fly to their next vacation!
👉 Flight shaming can only go so far. Rather than place the blame on individuals, we should put pressure on the aviation industry to make these wide-scale changes for a greener future. Instituting carbon pricing and investing in sustainable aviation fuels can help.
How can Greenly help?
Flight shaming highlights the importance of consumer behavior, encouraging everyone to think smarter for a greener tomorrow. While there are limits to what flight shaming alone can do for the environment, thinking about ways to make a more ecological choice on an individual scale can add up to a huge collective impact.
At Greenly, we leverage these kinds of small shifts for a huge impact. We work with you to identify and lower your carbon footprint. Combining human analysis and innovative technology, Greenly creates personalized carbon accounting that is accessible to a wide range of companies no matter their size. Request a free demo with a member of our expert team to learn more about how to get started on your journey to help fight climate change.
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