Short flights to the interior of the country could be under threat, such as the Barcelona and Madrid route. A law aimed at adapting transportation needs to the climate emergency is currently under consideration. The aim is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by short flights.
A report presented by Ecologistas en Acción highlights that the substitution of domestic flights with a rail alternative of up to four hours could eliminate more than 50,000 air operations and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 300,000 tons.
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At a time when air operations in Spain increased by 27% between 2013 and 2019, along with a 30% increase in CO2 emissions, this measure could make a big difference.
This increase in operations and emissions in Spain outpaces many other European countries, where domestic operations remained stable, decreased or declined. For example, France reduced its domestic operations by 5% and the United Kingdom by 8%.
The Ecologists in Action report identifies eleven domestic routes that could be replaced by a rail alternative, representing 34.8% of mainland passengers and 13.9% of all domestic passengers in Spain.
Eliminate eleven short flights due to pollution
In this scenario, the route between Madrid and Barcelona, which has more than 15,000 operations, generated more than 168,000 tons of CO2 in 2019….
If all the demand for these flights were transferred to the train, the net emissions savings would be 306,125 tons of CO2, equivalent to a 30% to 40% reduction in peninsular air traffic emissions.
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In addition, these air routes produced 408.6 tons of nitrogen oxides and 2.7 tons of particulate matter in 2019. These chemicals have a negative impact on the health of people living near Madrid and Barcelona airports, where 5.8 million people reside within 20 kilometers.
Health impact of short flights
The report also considers the economic costs related to the impact on health, welfare and environmental quality. Potential savings of 50.6 million euros per year are estimated if the 11 air routes are replaced by rail. In addition, the study shows that the total travel time by train is shorter than by plane.
It is important to note that the substitution of short flights for train travel is technically and legally feasible. This is due to both existing rail alternatives and precedents in the European Union.
At a time when Spain has experienced strong growth in domestic flights, this measure becomes necessary to meet emission reduction targets.
Eliminating short flights in Spain and replacing them with train options is one measure that could be feasible.
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