Live Earth's carbon footprint

Unlike many of my colleagues on the right, I don't think global warming is some kind of scam. But forgive me for thinking a self-congratulatory, hypocritical series of rock concerts isn't the best way to fight it:

...while the organisers' commitment to save the planet is genuine, the very process of putting on such a vast event, with more than 150 performers jetting around the world to appear in concerts from Tokyo to Hamburg, is surely an exercise in hypocrisy on a grand scale.

Matt Bellamy, front man of the rock band Muse, has dubbed it 'private jets for climate change'.

A Daily Mail investigation has revealed that far from saving the planet, the extravaganza will generate a huge fuel bill, acres of garbage, thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, and a mileage total equal to the movement of an army.

The most conservative assessment of the flights being taken by its superstars is that they are flying an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts - nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transport their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher.

The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists' and spectators' travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com, who specialises in such calculations.

Throw in the television audience and it comes to a staggering 74,500 tonnes. In comparison, the average Briton produces ten tonnes in a year. (via Tim Blair)

Damian P.

Update: Duran Duran, bless them, at least acknowledged the irony:

Taking the stage at Wembley Stadium frontman Simon Le Bon made a joke about some of the acts who had to travel using their own planes to the show.

"Before we start everyone who did not arrive in a private jet put your hands in the air," asked the singer, raising his own along with the crowds'.

Posted by damian at July 7, 2007 01:36 PM