Research report
30 September 2020
How much carbon will your domestic holiday emit?
Your holiday to Hawaii may be off. But how many carbon miles will a foray to Fiordland burn up?
If there’s any upside to Covid-19, you might think it’s the drop in carbon emissions as international travel plans have been put on ice and planes grounded. But don’t celebrate the end of the climate crisis just yet.
While global emissions are expected to fall between four and seven percent for 2020, the lockdown hasn’t made any difference to overall trends.
Latest figures published by the World Meteorological Organization show greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are at an all-time high and we’re set to see the warmest five years on record.
So while your trip to the UK may not be happening anytime soon, what about that flight from Auckland to Queenstown for your whānau of four? Add another 2000kg of emissions to your household’s carbon footprint.
Carbon miles
If you’re feeling the flygskam – the Swedish buzzword for flight shame – and want to get around the country with a cleaner carbon conscience, it’s harder than it should be.
Convenient and low-carbon travel options aren’t routinely on offer. Hoping to embrace the joys of slow travel and take the train from Auckland to Wellington? You’ll find it runs just three times a week in each direction.
Getting on a plane or driving may be the only realistic choice for getting from A(karoa) to B(rightwater).
Carbon estimates provided by Toitū Envirocare, an offshoot of Landcare Research, suggest flying may not always be the worst of the two options, if it gets you to your destination over a shorter distance than travelling by car.
However, it also matters what you drive: a 1500cc sedan is a better bet than the 2500cc SUV. An electric car will beat them both.
Emissions compared
We compared emissions for trips to six domestic destinations, travelling by plane, car and bus.
Transport emissions
Transport makes up 20 percent of the country’s gross greenhouse gas emissions. Most come from road transport, with domestic aviation accounting for about six percent, according to figures published by the Productivity Commission.
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Member comments
04 Oct 2020
? misleading
Not clear whether this is per person (for the flight) or per vehicle (for the car)?
If it's not all per vehicle then grossly misleading for a couple or family.
Paul Drury
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