Two of Ireland’s most senior climate crazy ministers have previously taken high-emission Business class trips instead of opting for greener economy seats, a report has claimed.
Two Irish Green Party politicians have reportedly opted in the past to travel in business class instead of economy on various flights, despite the former more expensive method of transport allegedly carrying a carbon footprint of up to three times the latter.
A member of the country’s three-faction ruling coalition, the Green Party has been at the vanguard in the push for green agenda measures in Ireland, with one elected MEP even suggesting cheap flights be banned across Europe in order to save the environment.
According to a report by the Irish Independent, Green Party leader and Environment Minister and Green Party Deputy Leader and Tourism Minister Catherine Martin have both opted to travel business class instead of economy, with Martin in particular repeatedly availing of the more expensive form of transport on trips to America, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates.
This is despite the fact such a method of transport is often not only more expensive for the Irish taxpayer, but also reportedly far worse for the environment, with the publication citing an unnamed World Bank report saying that business class trips are responsible for three times the amount of CO2 emissions as economy seats.
What’s more, the article also cites an International Council on Clean Transport study which puts the increased emissions somewhere between 2.6 to 4.3 times the amount of CO2 compared to economy, depending on the aircraft.
Such a decision by Martin and Ryan to allegedly opt for the dirtier seat comes despite their colleague in Europe, Ciarán Cuffe, demanding that cheap air travel be banned throughout Europe in order to save the environment.
“I think the bigger picture is that we’re in a climate emergency, we have to take action,” the MEP previously told Newstalk Radio, emphasising that he thought “10 euro flights across Europe” should be done away with.
Closer to earth, Ryan himself has been at the forefront of the push to ban the commercial sale of turf in Ireland, despite the fact that the country — much like the rest of Europe — is facing a forthcoming energy crisis that may see many struggle to heat their homes this winter.
Despite these hardline policies, a spokesman for Martin has defended the politician’s repeated use of dirty business class flights.
“Premium economy/business class may be used for long-haul flights where the additional flexibility afforded is considered necessary for the effective discharge of official business or where scheduled flying time exceeds five hours’ duration,” the spokesman reportedly said, before going on to claim that Martin’s department makes an annual payment to a climate action fund to offset the emissions of flights taken by the minister and its officials.