Britons are the world's worst offenders when it comes to carbon emissions from air travel, according to figures published on Wednesday by market research company Global TGI.
Not only are Britain's average air emissions per adult the highest out of the 20 countries covered at 603 kg per year, they are also a third higher than second-placed Ireland's 434 kg and more than double the 275 kg from third-placed Americans.
Scientists say carbon emissions from flights are at least twice as harmful to the environment as those at sea level.
However, the road carbon emissions of Britons at 2.4 metric tons per adult are less than one third of Americans' 7.5 metric tons.
In fact overall American adults have the biggest annual travel carbon footprint in the world at 7.8 metric tons, more than double France's 3.7 metric tons, which comes in at number two.
Third on the list at 3.1 metric tons is Britain, followed by Ireland on 3.0, Germany on 2.4 and Spain on 2.2 metric tons.
India is at the foot of the table with an annual travel footprint of just 200 kg per adult, with second-to-bottom China on 500 kg. But TGI warned that travel emissions in those two booming economies were rising rapidly.
It also pointed out that its figures were calculated per adult, meaning it did not provide overall travel emission details of each country. That would be achieved by multiplying the figures by the adult population.
by Reuters 0ct 10 2007
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