Passports tracking how much people fly could be launched which would restrict future international travel based on 'personal carbon allowances.'
Writer and journalist James Woudhuysen has hit out at the suggestion of carbon passports, after travel firm Intrepid Travel warned of "personal carbon allowances" for air travellers.
Intrepid Travel claimed that "the clock is ticking for our planet" and that the future of the travel and tourism is in danger.
Debating the warning made by Intrepid Travel on Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel, author James Woudhuysen was joined by Senior Meteorologist Jim Dale to discuss the idea of carbon allowances.
Isabel asked Woudhuysen: “You were outraged at this suggestion, on what basis?”
James Woudhuysen branded the idea of carbon allowances 'draconian'
GB News
Woudhuysen replied: “Well, carbon footprints, there's about a million, 10 million calculators out there on Google because nobody can agree what a carbon footprint really is. So that's the first problem.
"Who's going to do the monitoring and on what basis? You know, we've got enough state control with ULEZ, with all kinds of restrictions on movement already.
“And thirdly, it's so much focused on the past. It's about what you did, not about what you're going to do, not about the fun that you could have or the business travel that you will need, or helping out an ailing relative in New York.”
Woudhuysen continued: “What are we supposed to do? Row to New York when there's an emergency? It just won't do. It's repressive, it's draconian and it's not going to fly, because we were debating carbon ration cards back in 2006. I've got the clips of me on a rival channel discussing rationing of travel just then, but nobody will wear it.”
Eamonn then asked Dale: “You think it could be a possibility, it could be a reasonable idea?”
Dale was in favour of the idea, saying: “Yeah I think we've got to go back to basics. The reason this is happening is because the world is heating up at an extraordinary rate. We've just got the September figures in for the globe. The average, this is day and night, 16.38 degrees C, which is virtually one degree above the all time average, and 0.5 degrees C above the previous.
“That's about like Usain Bolt coming out of retirement and beating the 100 metres by a second if you get my point in the drift. So that's the reason why this is on the agenda.
"Now I'm not saying this is the best solution. Intrepid Travel actually in their spiel are suggesting that actually be flying less to destinations that are so hot that we can't even you know, we we don't want to be there 40 degrees sitting there for a week you ain't going to enjoy it very much."
Intrepid Travel suggested we should have 'carbon allowances' for air travel
PA
Dale continued: "So it's going to be much more short term flights if you like or even boats or whatever going to places that are much nearer and temperate and whatever.
"So this idea is one idea that's being floated. I'm not necessarily saying that this is the best idea. You know why? Because the culprits for where we are at this moment in time, roll it back all the way to the fossil fuel companies. That's where the problem lies. And if you're going to tax anybody, start there.”
Woodhouse fought back against Dale, arguing: “Well, it's nice to faint and attack the Shell's and the BP's, but the fact is that this proposal by intrepid travel or is it insipid travel and a report by the futile laboratory, I mean the future laboratory.
"You know, it just is so demeaning to expect normal people to abandon their holidays and sun themselves in the Netherlands rather than in the Mediterranean. I'm from the Netherlands and people like sun in this country, they're not wrong either."