What is Flygskam?

Flygskam is a Swedish neologism, which literally translates into English as “flight shame”. Confronted with the high level of pollution generated by this form of transport, more and more people are ashamed of travelling by plane. Some are even going as far as boycotting it as a means of transport, a trend which is of course of concern to airlines and plane manufacturers. 

The word originated in Sweden in 2017, but really entered the mainstream in the English-speaking world a couple of years later. That was largely due to the growing fame and speeches of Greta Thunberg. This shame of travelling by air comes from growing awareness of environmental issues. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that aviation is responsible for 3.5% of global climate change. They estimate that figure could grow to 5 - 15% by 2050, if action isn’t taken to cut emissions.

It’s the wealthy who contribute the most towards air pollution. According to a study by non profit organization The International Council on Clean Transportation, 12% of the American population account for two-thirds of total flights out of the USA. These frequent flyers average 6 or more return journeys per year. Of course, that means they are also responsible for two thirds of the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. 

Some governments have taken action already, by bringing taxes on kerosene, one of the main aviation fuels. In the European Union, kerosene is currently exempt from taxation but activists are campaigning to revoke that agreement. In the meantime, another solution is to not take the plane at all, opting for shorter-distance journeys which can be made by train.  

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