Ryanair tells porky pies about aviation emissions

Posted by jamie — 18 July 2007 at 5:37pm - Comments

This from the BBC News website about the judgment against Ryanair by the Advertising Standards Authority:

 

Ryanair has been ordered not to repeat an advertisement that played down the impact of aviation on the environment.

In a press campaign the airline claimed the airline industry "accounts for just 2% of carbon dioxide emissions".

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled it breached rules on truthfulness by not explaining the figure was based on global rather than UK emissions.

Ryanair claimed the ASA was attempting to suppress an accurate statement, which it would continue to use.

The European Environment Agency's executive director, Professor Jacqueline McGlade, welcomed the ruling, saying that Ryanair had sought to "trivialise" the impact of aviation on the environment.

She described the airline's approach to CO2 emissions as "disingenuous and intellectually dishonest".

 

And it's not the first time, either:

 

It is the second time this year that the carrier has got into trouble for misleading environmental claims.

In January it conceded, following a BBC investigation, that a claim it had cut its CO2 emissions by half in recent years was "a mistake".

 

According to a parliamentary answer in April this year by Gillian Merron, due to 'radiative forcing' Government figures show that in 2005 aviation accounted for 13% of total UK climate change damage. That's an understatement because it is based on departing flights only: if the calculation were based on return flights by UK citizens in 2007 the figure would be nearer 20%.

The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research has stated that if aviation continues to grow at current rates, then emissions from every other sector of the UK economy would need to drop to zero if we are to meet our emissions reduction targets for 2050.

If Ryanair's the 'cleanest and greenest' airline in Europe as it claims, why isn't Michael O'Leary (CEO) lobbying for aviation to be included in the Climate Change Bills of England and Wales, and of Scotland? Now that _would_ be progressive!

Better sign the papers while [the planet] is still willing to make a deal.
-- Stephen Jay Gould, paleontologist

Even more effective would be for Michael O'Leary himself to come under the Climate Change Bill. Just think of all that hot air he produces...

web editor
gpuk

According to a parliamentary answer in April this year by Gillian Merron, due to 'radiative forcing' Government figures show that in 2005 aviation accounted for 13% of total UK climate change damage. That's an understatement because it is based on departing flights only: if the calculation were based on return flights by UK citizens in 2007 the figure would be nearer 20%. The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research has stated that if aviation continues to grow at current rates, then emissions from every other sector of the UK economy would need to drop to zero if we are to meet our emissions reduction targets for 2050. If Ryanair's the 'cleanest and greenest' airline in Europe as it claims, why isn't Michael O'Leary (CEO) lobbying for aviation to be included in the Climate Change Bills of England and Wales, and of Scotland? Now that _would_ be progressive! Better sign the papers while [the planet] is still willing to make a deal. -- Stephen Jay Gould, paleontologist

Even more effective would be for Michael O'Leary himself to come under the Climate Change Bill. Just think of all that hot air he produces... web editor gpuk

About Jamie

I'm a forests campaigner working mainly on Indonesia. My personal mumblings can be found @shrinkydinky.

Follow Greenpeace UK