Traveling with private jets is becoming the focus of climate protection.Image: Shutterstock
November 16, 2025, 7:12 p.mNovember 16, 2025, 7:12 p.m
At the World Climate Conference in Brazil, France and Spain, together with seven other countries, are promoting an extra tax on business class airline tickets and travel with private jets. “Those who pollute more should also contribute more,” said the Spanish ambassador to Brazil, María del Mar Fernández-Palacios, in Belém. “A levy on premium passengers can raise billions for climate resilience, adaptation and sustainable development.” In the fight against the climate crisis, states need predictable income that does not place an undue burden on ordinary citizens.
French climate ambassador Benoît Faraco said solidarity taxes like those on luxury flights are in line with the spirit of the Paris climate agreement to curb global warming. All countries at the climate conference are called upon to join.
A spokesman for Carsten Schneider’s Federal Environment Ministry (SPD) told “Spiegel” about the idea: “Everyone who travels first class or in a private plane will be able to pay a tax without any problems.” According to the magazine, Lars Klingbeil’s (SPD) Federal Ministry of Finance agreed with this statement. However: Just this week, the black-red coalition decided to reduce the ticket tax in air transport on July 1, 2026 – which brought it sharp criticism from climate activists.
“Taxation of billionaires and private jets necessary”
Flying is by far the most climate-damaging way to travel. According to the Premium Flyers Solidarity Coalition, only one percent of the world’s population is responsible for more than half of the climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions from commercial aviation. At the same time, “premium” air travel has increased significantly: emissions from private aviation increased by 46 percent between 2019 and 2023.
Climate activists in front of a private jet in Samedan, during this year’s WEF.Image: keystone
The former climate state secretary of ex-Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Jennifer Morgan, also campaigned for the solidarity tax in aviation. “People see increasing inequality. And they know that taxing billionaires and private jets is fair and necessary.” (sda/dpa)