The case for tracking private jets

Jack Sweeney is a third-year student at the University of Central Florida who collates private-jet tracking data via Twitter accounts.

He measures the environmental impact of each private jet journey calculating the distance travelled, carbon emissions and volume of jet fuel used.

In 2022 , private jet pollution analysis from the sustainability marketing firm Yard suggested Swift was the “biggest celebrity CO2e polluter” of the year , racking up 1,184.8 times more than the average person’s total annual emissions.

The chilling reality is that there are few such avenues remaining through which those with power can be scrutinised. Sweeney ’s work is a great public service in a culture where the rich and famous often act with impunity. Of course, the wealthiest people in the world will try to silence individuals who point out the damage their luxury lifestyles are causing. Our hopes the future of the planet shouldn’t have to rest on the future of a jet-tracking social media account..