Louise Sallé 6:13 a.m., August 14, 2022

While the government has called on the French to reduce their energy consumption, billionaires are increasing their private jet travel.

Faced with this extremely polluting practice, several Twitter accounts have decided to identify and share these trips, each time specifying the resulting CO2 emissions.

It has become a fashion effect inspired by football where many supporters follow the flights during the transfer window to find out if a player is going to join their club or not.

But now, it is the flights of the big bosses in private jets that are closely scrutinized.

Their journeys are detailed on social networks and obviously criticized for the greenhouse gas emissions generated.

Bernard Arnault particularly hunted down

The best known of these accounts is "I fly Bernard" which details hour by hour, on a map, the comings and goings of Bernard Arnault.

It is based on data made public by air traffic control services.

Behind this account is a 35-year-old Frenchman who wants to denounce "the use of jets as taxis".

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In France, private jets represent one in ten flights that take off or land

Same thing for the American account "Celebrity Jet" managed by a 19-year-old student, who primarily tracks the movements of Elon Musk.

A rather intrusive approach, but which is explained by a feeling of injustice.

This is the opinion of Grégoire Carpentier, an aeronautical engineer specializing in the decarbonization of the sector.

“We have people in order of magnitude who will emit more CO2 than if they had taken a flight on commercial aviation, he explains to Europe 1. “There is really an excess of CO2 consumption which is singled out at a time when we think we have to make an effort.

Now, the question that must be asked is whether this person, who is the President of the Republic or the President of Total, justifies his flight in view of the importance of the trip.

We cannot solve the climate or energy issue by falling back on issues of morality", he specifies.

In France, private jets represent one in ten flights that take off or land according to the NGO Transport and Environment.

Half of these flights traveling less than 500 kilometres.