Flying less is going to be a trend Germany raises the price of air travel and lowers the price of trains

Flying less is going to be a trend: Germany raises the price of air travel and lowers the price of trains

Definitely, flying less is going to be a trend. At least among those who intend to contribute to the best health on the planet. You just have to take into account, every time we think about traveling , that the aviation industry causes between 3% and 8% of global pollution .

An airline aircraft not only emits carbon dioxide (CO2) , but also water vapor and nitrous oxide, other greenhouse gases . By doing so at high altitude, the damage is even greater. Therefore, more and more citizens are aware of this reality and pressure their governments.

So it should be understood that the Government of Germany finished approving bills that will mean a rise in air travel and cheaper train ticket . They are part of the crash plan to meet the objectives of reducing CO2 emissions by 2030.

The bill will imply a reduction of the value added tax (VAT) from the current 19% to 7% for medium and long-distance rail tickets. On the other hand, the rates on air travel will increase, up to 76% for domestic or European flights – will increase from 5.65 euros to 13.03 euros per ticket – and 43% on long-haul flights – a rise in the current 41 euros at 59.43-.

The purpose of these measures is to encourage the citizen to preferably use the train for short or medium journeys instead of the private car or the plane, although currently air transport can be considerably cheaper than the railroad.

Sweden, the first country to punish air travel

In Sweden they have already done so. From April 3, you pay more for a plane ticket to compensate for CO2 emissions. The Government has launched an ecological tax of up to 53 euros more per ticket . All flights that pass through Sweden will carry this ecological tax.

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In the country of Greta Thunberg there seems to be much awareness of the problem of climate change. A 23% of Swedes have stopped using the plane to reduce the environmental impact of their journeys, according to a study by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

So much is the environmental awareness among Swedes who have already invented a word to designate the shame of traveling by plane : flygskam . At the same time there is another to brag about going by train: tagskryt . And a third, smygflyga to fly secretly.

The train seems the most sustainable alternative . According to calculations by the European Environmental Agency, traveling by train a passenger emits 14 grams of CO2 per kilometer, for the 285 grams we emit if we take a plane.

The rise in the price of air travel in Germany follows the first climatic measures already approved by the government of Angela Merkel last week, after strong tensions until a consensus was reached in the great coalition between the conservative block of Chancellor Angela Merkel and The Social Democrats

The objective of the crash plan is for Germany to meet community environmental goals and reduce its emissions of polluting gases by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990). The chancellor herself has acknowledged that the 40% reduction target set for 2020 will not be met.

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