The hardcore green agenda-loving leaders of the European Union reportedly travelled to the U.N.’s COP27 climate change summit on a private jet.
Both of the European Union’s two tree-hugging presidents are said to have travelled to the U.N.’s COP27 via a gas-guzzling private jet earlier this year, a freedom of information request by POLITICO is said to have unveiled.
The bloc is amongst the most militant in the Western world when it comes to lowering carbon emissions, with European leaders now regularly putting the wellbeing of their countries and countrymen in danger in the hopes of cutting greenhouse gasses.
However, while it appears senior EU politicians are willing to see Europeans struggle under power shortages, attacks on agriculture, and hefty green taxation measures, they do not appear to be willing to forego their own personal creature comforts, even when they are — by the claims of this very green elite — extremely taxing on the environment.
According to the POLITICO report, both European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel opted to travel to the COP27 climate conference in Egypt late last year on a private jet.
This is despite the fact that such a method of transport emits more CO2 in just one flight than two Europeans living average lives would over an entire year.
Such a luxury was not limited to just the Egypt trip, however, with Michel in particular reportedly opting to travel via private jet during 72 of his 112 official trips since becoming Council President in late 2019.
Staffers for Michel have reportedly tried to square this environmentally prodigal behaviour with Michel’s self-described status as a climate “champion” however, arguing that the senior Eurocrat only flew on a private jet when other methods of travel were either unavailable or unsuitable.
Michel also reportedly “offsets” his CO2-emitting private flights through a scheme that involves paying for a ceramics factory in Brazil to stop using illegal timber for fuel, and instead use a greener alternative.
POLITICO reportedly had less luck finding out about Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s travel habits, with the European Commission reportedly refusing to give the publication any details about her past travel arrangements other than that she only travels via private jet in “exceptional circumstances”.
It is not the first time the Commission has refused to hand over details about von der Leyen’s activities, with the senior EU body previously denying freedom of information requests to release messages sent between their leader and the head of Pfizer while the bloc was negotiating vaccine procurement contracts during the COVID pandemic.
Such a refusal was eventually ruled to be against EU regulations by the bloc’s ombudsman, who accused the Commission of “maladministration“. There have been no consequences as a result of this ruling, however, with the text exchange between von der Leyen and the Pfizer head remaining unreleased to this day.
It is unclear whether Michel’s rampant consumption will result in any sort of investigation or consequences either, with the senior official already said to be shirking some of his duties in Brussels as he hunts for his next job.
The Council President’s rampant travelling is thought to be a part of this alleged search, with Michel’s office even requesting the EU hands over an extra €500,000 in funding next year to help pay for his often carbon-intensive expeditions abroad.
Meanwhile, the more average European citizen is likely facing another year of high energy prices and potential gas shortages, with a lack of Russian fossil fuels on the market leaving the union with a massive shortfall that green energy likely will not be able to fill.
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