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A Government social media post encouraging islanders to take on a 'no-fly' challenge to cut their carbon emissions got the wrong kind of attention yesterday for its spectacularly bad timing.
Just days after a new tourism strategy had been published, and as Storm Henk cancelled ferry crossings and emptied supermarket shelves, the post encouraged islanders to consider making the pledge to "commit to no longer fly and instead opt for holidays within the UK and Europe for the next 12 months and beyond".
The post was part of a campaign of pledges from people who had taken carbon literacy training, and had been scheduled in advance on 'Climate Jersey' accounts, run by the Sustainability and Climate Change Engagement team within the Infrastructure and Environment Department.
Other pledges published included setting up a pinboard pinboard for ideas in the workplace, delivering toolbox talks and working with senior management to implement ideas.
But a number of islanders slammed the suggested pledge, pointing out that Government Ministers had flown to far-flung destinations like Rwanda – and that nearly all ferry crossings between the start of the year and yesterday had been cancelled due to bad weather.
Reform Jersey leader Deputy Sam Mézec said that the post looked "out of touch" and would do little to convince islanders.
Climate change is an existential crisis for humankind, and Jersey ought to be reaping the benefits of a carbon-neutral agenda.
— Deputy Sam Mézec (@SamMezecJsy) January 3, 2024
But posting things like this on a day when passenger ferry services are being cancelled looks out of touch and will convince no one. https://t.co/PhE4gLUdLJ
Webreality CEO Matthew Robins decried what he described as "rank, insulting hypocrisy", given that Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf had himself flown to COP28 in Dubai in December together with the Chief Minister.
The minister responsible for this patronising, hectoring nonsense flew business class to COP28 at our expense to signal Jersey’s virtue on our behalf. Rank, insulting hypocrisy. https://t.co/NBfCvJKMqB
— Matthew Robins (@jerseyrobins) January 3, 2024
Others pointed out that the post came in the same week that Jersey's Government had published a new strategy for revitalising the aching tourism industry and boosting declining visitor numbers, while the Economic Development Minister had previously spoken of a desire to bolster the island's air links.
This is a genuine post by what possibly could be a government linked page. This pledge would single handedly ruin jobs for 1000's, would wipe out tourism (if others did the same) & would destroy routes for locals to see family/friends - whilst losing all life experience. Disgrace https://t.co/n6TfdFC6ph
— Garry Lloyd (@GarryLloyd1) January 3, 2024
When Express approached the Government for comment, officials said that the account was intended to encourage thinking about behaviour change, adding it "therefore naturally highlights ways in which islanders might want to consider reducing their carbon emissions".
The specific post had been pre-scheduled some time ago, they added.
A direct response was not provided when asked if it was Government policy to discourage air travel, but pointed to the States Assembly's approval of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap in 2022, which aims to put Jersey on a path to net zero emissions by 2050.
“As an island, we rely on air connectivity both economically and as a community. Air connectivity is critical to Jersey’s economy and the quality of life for islanders. It is essential that measures to deliver the requirement to decarbonise aviation, also allow us to maintain and ideally enhance connectivity," the document reads.
The Roadmap also includes plans to have petrol and diesel vehicle banned from 2030, and future work to expand beds of seagrass around the island to capture greenhouse gasses.
Over a period of four years, £23m was to be spent to encourage islanders to buy electric cars, change gas and oil heating systems, use alternative sources of fuel, and walk, cycle and catch the bus more.
Towards the end of last year, Ministers also put forward plans to investigate whether a 'carbon tax' should be applied to private jets to help pay for the transition to net-zero, which is expected to cost the island in the region of £300m.
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