Mostly true: Private jet users “emitting more than a small city in central Africa”

Do Private Jet users emit more CO₂ than a small city in Central Africa? On 7 November 2024, the BBC released a report analysing the environmental implications of private aviation by the ultra-rich and the disproportionate scale of its carbon footprint. In that report, Professor Stefan Gössling, from Sweden’s Linnaeus University, says that the emissions…

The Sky-High Divide: A Bottom Billion Perspective

When economist Paul Collier introduced the “Bottom Billion” theory, he described a vast population—mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa—trapped in systemic poverty, political instability, and chronic vulnerability. These communities have contributed almost nothing to the climate crisis, yet they are the most exposed to its consequences. Their carbon footprint remains negligible, often less than a fraction of…