Ryanair to charge 'eco-looney' tax

andrewjameshowar "The vast majority of the scientific community agree that carbon emissions are causing global warming." Another completely random and scientifically unsubstantiated statement. It is meaningless if not proven in fact. The part that you and other people supporting your view frequently drop-off is "man-made". That is your point along with so many others of your persuasion that global warming or climate change (take your pick) is the exclusive fault of man. You even try to convince others that this is a modern day phenomenon. Utter rubbish and no wonder so many people are sceptical when presented with such bankrupt and hysterical thinking. Climate change/global warming was around long before man ever crept out of his/her bog. The earth is 5 billion years old plus or minus, just over a third of the time of the existence of the universe as we understand it. During this time the earth has reached temperatures far higher and far lower than we have known in recorded history. Man has been here for 50-100k years - a blip in cosmic terms. And here you and others are trying to preach (and that is what you call it in the absence of scientific proof) that somehow the destiny of the earth is down to man's habits. And you suggest I am the one that hasn't thought it through - wow! The sun will go supernova in a few billion years but long before that the earth will have become uninhabitable as the sun turns into a red giant. Did you know a single sunspot can last up to 50-100 years and have a more devasting effect in radiation terms on the earth's surface than ever some exhaust emissions ever could. If I were you I would be more worried about the depletion of the natural ozone protection due to pollutants of which the emerging world powers of China and India (not forgetting our old US friends) are the biggest creators. That's what scares me more. Further the terran volcano that sits beneath Yellowstone National Park will hold terrors for this planet that you could not imagine if it blows its lid. Such a game changer that it will be probably be game over. I won't even insult you by telling you what a meteor strike could mean or if humanity destroys itself through self inflicted infertility or war. How arrogant of you and others to think that man is significant enough when set beside mother nature and galactic forces that have been around for 13 billion years that we are somehow controlling events.

hardtruth, you haven't thought this through. The vast majority of the scientific community agree that carbon emissions are causing global warming. Wait for 100% validation and it will be too late to do anything about it. Your point about vapour trails is a nonsense. You are saying that they cool the planet. This might be correct. But the moment the planes stop flying the temperature goes up again. So do we need to keep all those airplanes up there like a cooling fan? Meanwhile the base temperature from which they are cooling us will be going up as a result of their emissions. Or do you imagine that we will put more and more planes permanently in the sky to keep us cool? When do you expect us to run out of runway space?

electricblue "Ryanair DOES have more environmentally friendly aircraft". More than what? More than their older fleet? More than other airlines? All other airlines? Ryanair puts in more sectors per day per aircraft than any other airline (with only Southwest being comparable and to a lesser degree Easyjet) so they put out more emissions per plane per day than anyone if that is what you care about. "high altitude emissions from aircraft produce known adverse environmental effects" Completely unsubstantiated statement and actually false. You are making a guess and need to read up on research in this area. A well known analysis immediately post 9/11 when all flights in US airspace were banned demonstrated an increase (not a decrease) in ground temperatures in the United States. Why? Because the particulates from the exhaust trails were taken out of the atmosphere and sun radiation (across the whole spectrum) was less filtered and absorbed meaning it went straight through to the ground creating a heating effect.