This week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan to make the continent carbon neutral by 2050. Europe’s airlines are spending 170 billion euros (US$189 billion) on new fuel-efficient aircraft, but these will still spew out carbon. Airlines do not even agree among themselves about whether to punish the business lounge elite or the weekend city breakers. When the environmental impact of a business is not priced in, there can be such a thing as too much freedom. Making flights more expensive would hurt those for whom 20 euros in new taxes, say, is the difference between flying and staying home.

Source: Taipei Times December 14, 2019 15:56 UTC