We weren’t sure what to expect when we published our survey asking for your thoughts on carbon neutrality. But we were still surprised. For background, and you probably know this, carbon neutrality is the theory that you can cut your carbon emissions production essentially to zero by either using zero-emissions technology or by counteracting the emissions with actions, like planting trees, that take CO2 from the atmosphere instead of adding more.
For starters, a majority of respondents aren’t convinced that carbon neutrality is a real goal or that it would have a real impact. A whopping 70% of respondents were unimpressed by the whole concept. Thirty percent think it’s good science and its goals are achievable, and least in theory.
When asked if they would welcome a chance to make their flying carbon neutral, around 60% of those answering the survey questions said that they were skeptical, not interested or both. Around 40% would want to do what they could to zero out their carbon footprint.
When it came to how our GA organizations should address carbon neutrality, opinion was strongly against those groups—we used AOPA and EAA as examples—talking up carbon neutrality. Around 70% wanted the groups to not get involved in the issue or acknowledge it without going much further into the subject. Around 30% thought it was a good idea, for political or environmental reasons, for aviation member orgs to get involved.
