'The wealthy don’t have a carbon footprint. Who knew'
Claire Coutinho, the Minister for Energy and Net Zero, has been rinsed after attempting to justify Rishi Sunak’s penchant for private jets.
In an interview with Sky News, the Tory MP was asked by presenter Anna Jones whether it was a “good look” that the Prime Minister was travelling around the country for short campaign stops on a private jet.
Coutinho dismissed the concern and claimed it was important for “democracy” that Sunak speak to as many people as possible, while downplaying the impact of private jets on the environment.
The Energy Secretary said: “We need to make sure that we are speaking to people in the country, this is a democracy, I think it’s right that the Prime Minister goes and talks to people as much as possible.”
She then claimed that taking a private jet is, “not going to make a massive difference when it comes to carbon emissions, let’s be serious.”
A private jet flight causes 10 times more CO2 emissions than a regular flight per flight per person, and 50 times more than the average train ride, according to Greenpeace. Environmental campaigners argue that private jets epitomise social and climate injustice, as just 1 percent of the global population is responsible for half of the world’s aviation emissions.
The multi-millionaire Prime Minister has used private jets more than anyone else in Downing Street, racking up £50,000 worth of private jet trips in less than a fortnight in 2022, leading to accusations that he is out of touch and unable to lead of green policy.
One X user said: “So there we have it @ClaireCoutinho the minister for net zero confirms that everyone can do whatever they want because they personally are only a small percentage of the whole. To the bitter end they defend the indefensible. This proves their commitments are a joke.”
Another wrote: “The wealthy don’t have a carbon footprint. Who knew.”
(Image credit: Sky News screenshot)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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