NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Environment

David Stevenson: Rising international air travel flies in the face of global warming crisis

By David Stevenson
NZ Herald·
28 Apr, 2019 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Renderings of the new transport system at Los Angeles Airport which is expanding to cope with increasing numbers of air travellers. Image / Los Angeles World Airports

Renderings of the new transport system at Los Angeles Airport which is expanding to cope with increasing numbers of air travellers. Image / Los Angeles World Airports

Opinion

COMMENT

International air travel is booming.

It has doubled since 1999 and on current trends will double again by 2037 according to the International Air Travel Association (IATA). The number of commercial aircraft was 3700 in 1970 and is 21,000 today.

The problem with a rapidly expanding aviation sector is that the greenhouse gases it generates are becoming a major contributor to global warming. The Potsdam Institute for
Climate Impact Research has found that carbon dioxide is at its highest level in the atmosphere for 3 million years.

The United Nations has recently warned that global warming is accelerating
and has expressed alarm that 90 per cent of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases is
being absorbed by the world's oceans. The heat going into the oceans is not
just melting ice at the poles and killing coral reefs, it is also becoming a threat
to phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are tiny plants which form the basis of the
marine food chain and supply between half and two thirds of the oxygen in the
atmosphere.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A University of Leicester study shows that an increase of 6 degrees centigrade in the surface layer of the world's oceans could stop the production of oxygen by phytoplankton. That study estimated that the 6C increase could happen by 2100 which would be in the lifetimes of some of the baby-boomers' grandchildren.

Well off baby-boomers form a significant part of today's international air travelling public. These people are by and large the achievers of our society.

They have worked hard, made always sensible, often smart, decisions in relation to saving and building their wealth and justifiably feel entitled to make one, two or more overseas trips each year as a reward for what they have achieved. Many make trips to see children and grandchildren scattered like priceless jewels around the world. Who would deny them this?

For starters, it could be those self-same grandchildren. Recent worldwide demonstrations by their generation protesting lack of action by governments in dealing with climate change show that these school-age children well understand the state of the planet they will inherit if there is continued inaction on climate change.

Students crammed onto Parliament's front lawn during their climate change protest on March 15. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Students crammed onto Parliament's front lawn during their climate change protest on March 15. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Our Prime Minister, who right now may be at the peak of her power thanks to her inspirational leadership in the aftermath of the Christchurch atrocity, should not expend one breath in exhorting the baby-boomers to restrain their international flying.

Discover more

Business Reports

Cathy Quinn: How NZ is pouring cold water on Chinese investment

02 Apr 04:00 PM
Opinion

Political Roundup: RIP CGT - how does Govt tackle inequality now?

23 Apr 11:00 PM
Travel

Aviation startup wants to know your weight

25 Apr 01:07 AM
Opinion

Brian Fallow: Taking aim at the land bankers

25 Apr 05:00 PM

Instead, she should declare a climate emergency and ban all government-related international air travel below the level of Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Foreign Minister and Trade Minister. Below that level, conferences, meetings etc. should be attended by Skype, email and telephone. That will send a clear message to all generations of Kiwis contemplating international air travel.

If our Prime Minister takes this action, I believe many governments around the world will follow suit at least in restraining some of their government-related international air travel. More importantly this will fulfil the Prime Minister's promise to the protesting school students that their voice is being heard.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

* David Stevenson is a freelance writer, based in Wellington

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Environment

New Zealand

'Significant milestone': Kākāpō boom in Waikato

01 May 05:46 AM
Environment

'Stay away': Venomous sea snake found alive at Ōmaha Beach

26 Apr 11:32 PM
Premium
Opinion

Kim Knight: Val Kilmer, Cookie Bear and The Body Shop - a Gen X lament

12 Apr 12:00 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Environment

'Significant milestone': Kākāpō boom in Waikato

'Significant milestone': Kākāpō boom in Waikato

01 May 05:46 AM

It's been the first time in more than a century that the sound has been heard in Waikato.

'Stay away': Venomous sea snake found alive at Ōmaha Beach

'Stay away': Venomous sea snake found alive at Ōmaha Beach

26 Apr 11:32 PM
Premium
Kim Knight: Val Kilmer, Cookie Bear and The Body Shop - a Gen X lament

Kim Knight: Val Kilmer, Cookie Bear and The Body Shop - a Gen X lament

12 Apr 12:00 AM
Premium
Simon Wilson: Chlöe Swarbrick v Chris Bishop and the Investment Summit

Simon Wilson: Chlöe Swarbrick v Chris Bishop and the Investment Summit

10 Mar 04:00 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP