Lufthansa’s European Union Strasbourg “shuttle”

You're directly saying that business class seats on these flights take 150% more space than economy class. I think you're trying to argue that it's not actually as comfortable as business class, but the objectionable thing about business class is not that people are more comfortable, it's the wasted space. And the wasted space seems equivalent.

I'm not looking for asceticism here, my hope is to minimize pollution. Of course, a bus would probably allow 200%-300% the space for less pollution and similar travel time.

It looks like there is a rail option between Brussels and Strasbourg which is just under 4 hours[1]. That's four hours where you can work the entire time. With the boarding, flight time and travel time to and from the airport what is the actual time savings here 1 hour? And if you could work the whole time on a train it sounds like a non-issue since this schedule seems to factor in two of the 4 days as travel days. Also why Frankfurt? I realize Frankfurt is an airhub but why would this be a convenient location?

[1] https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Brussels/Strasbourg#r/Train/s/0

I just really don't get this. It's "gotcha" thinking and "if they don't live perfect austerie lifestyles they cannot change climate policies".

Leave out that High Ranking government officials travel with security, press, aides, etc. Yes it's wasteful, but it's likely the safest, fastest and easiest method to gather decision makers. It's such the long tail of carbon output on the climate emergency.

Additionally, these ministers _should_ be representative (Yes, I am aware that is abstracted in the EU). It doesn't matter who they are personally, they are representing their constituents.

Do I wish that each official would show up by bicycle, sailboat, carbon neutral balloon, train, etc? Indeed I do - and the more whimsical the better. Because it would be theater, but theater is an important part of governance. Having the ministers sacrifice sends a message.

But much more important is what they vote for, what they advocate, what policies they affect - as that is what will move the needle on a better or worse world.

But the real reason I might wish they take the bus is that it just provides this fodder for doing nothing. For other blowhards to point and use this as just another excuse to twiddle our thumbs until the extreme crisis arrives.

Until Al Gore personally delivers organically grown sustainable vegetables to every human on the planet, let's not change industrial policies, taxation, energy plans or researching funding. Let's concentrate on the theater and hypocrisy first, and leave the attainable, sustainable long term profitable policy changes for our grandchildren (fingers crossed there is still a democratic institution around as the world's greatest migration and refugee crisis encircles the planet).

Btw - Google tells me blood boils around the same as water - 100 C. I don't quite see those temperatures occurring, but it will sure feel like it on, say the Indian Subcontinent. Good thing no one lives there!

Because frequent flier points get you nicer things than frequent rail points

Air transport account for less than 4% of the 51 b tons of CO2 we send every year. These politicians aren’t going to make any difference. We could ask them to be role models, but with what finality? Again air transport is not the most urgent problem. I understand this is a topic that can be used to raise awareness, but the most useful thing these politicians could do is to rethink the way (EU) businesses are leading China and India to use coal for energy. Why no one proposes to handle this topic, I do not understand. And if someone would handle it, then it would be time to use your next vote wisely.