Catch Me If You Can (2002)

SNA (Sydney) — As celebrities become increasingly vocal about their social activism and the fight against climate change, it is disappointing–though not at all surprising–to see how some of the most applauded idols of the Western world appear reluctant to practice what they preach.

Earlier this year, UK marketing agency Yard released a list of celebrities with the highest estimated carbon emissions from private jets. This data was primarily collected from a flight tracking account, Celeb Jets, which posts detailed flight information regarding the private jets used by high-profile individuals.

It was revealed that among the top ten celebrities, nearly 20,000 tons of estimated carbon emissions were produced by their jets between January and July of this year.

While not in the top ten, Kylie Jenner, in particular, faced heavy criticism after it was discovered that she had made several private jet trips that lasted less than thirty minutes. On July 17, Celeb Jets reported that Jenner had flown from Van Nuys to Camarillo in southern California–a flight that took just seventeen minutes. Earlier in the year, she traveled barely thirty minutes from Thermal, California, to Van Nuys.

The average private jet emits up to two metric tons of carbon per hour, as noted by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (EFTE). In comparison, the average person in the European Union produces approximately eight tons of carbon emissions annually. The report explains that “just 1% of people cause 50% of global aviation emissions” and that “European private jet carbon emissions have soared in recent years, with a 31% increase between 2005 and 2019.”

It is still unclear how the pandemic may have impacted this figure.

An article by Forbes contributor Doug Gollan attempted to explain Jenner’s trip to Camarillo by venturing that “likely, those flights were without passengers, probably because the cosmetics entrepreneur, like others, couldn’t find hangar space at her local airport.”

Research from EFTE found that the lack of passengers on private planes is actually a key cause for increased emissions: “private jets are five to fourteen times more polluting than commercial planes (per passenger), and fifty times more polluting than trains.”

Although Jenner herself has not been extremely vocal about sustainability, it is important to note that on her Kylie Cosmetics website, she claims that “all my formulas are designed with ingredients to ensure the right balance between efficiency, safety, and responsibility.”

Much more striking is the case of actor Leonardo DiCaprio in light of the fact that he has repeatedly promoted himself as a dedicated environmentalist.

For example, he is an advisor to The Solutions Project, an organization that assists in the development of renewable energy and climate solutions.

In 1998, he visited the White House to discuss global warming with then-Vice President Al Gore. Later that same year, the actor established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF), which focuses primarily on conservation.

On the official LDF website–supposedly about the environmental organization–the first visible information is a list of DiCaprio’s personal achievements, such as the fact that he won 206 awards and nominations for acting and other activities.

In 2014, DiCaprio was designated the United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change. But in that very same year, he rented one of the largest yachts on the planet from Sheikh Mansour, an oil tycoon and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, in order to watch the World Cup in Brazil. He has used superyachts on other occasions as well.

According to research by Richard Wilk, a professor of anthropology at Indiana University, and Beatriz Barros, a PhD candidate, luxury superyachts on average emit over 7,000 tons of carbon per year.

UK media company Marine Industry News further reports that “it has been estimated a superyacht with a full-time crew, helicopter pad, submarines, and swimming pools emits about… 1,500 times more than a typical family car.”

When he won an Oscar in 2016, DiCaprio dedicated it to climate change awareness, stating, “climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species… We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations.”

DiCaprio has even described himself as a “carbon neutral citizen” due to his work with Future Forests. However, that UK-based company implausibly claims that the actor’s annual carbon emissions are just 11 tons. Given his exploits on superyachts and his frequent plane trips around the globe, these claims are unlikely to stand up to scrutiny.

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