Every year, increasing numbers of us are jetting off on city breaks that take us to opposite sides of the UK, weekend trips to Europe and far-flung and exotic backpacking destinations around the world. Technological and vehicular progress has meant that moving between cities or countries has become easier than ever, and as more low-cost airlines come into being, more people are becoming able to travel — but the planet is paying the price for humanity’s love of exploration.
Project Drawdown (drawdown.org) estimates that there are more than 20,000 aeroplanes in use worldwide, serving 3.7 billion passengers annually. By 2040, they report that there will be over 50,000 planes in service, which are expected to be bigger, carry more people, and fly more often. As a result, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that the number of passengers will rise to 7.2 billion by 2035. Like the numbers of planes and passengers, the damage to the planet will also rise.