21 October 2021: In Germany, 14 organisations from the environmental and mobility transition are calling for an immediate ban on ultra-short-haul flights and a socially just and ecological expansion of railway. The initiatives remind the SPD, Greens and FDP of their climate protection promises in the election campaign. "Air traffic is the most unjust form of mobility that is harmful to the climate. Abolishing unnecessary short-haul flights is a long overdue and easy-to-implement immediate measure for climate protection," says Jonas Asal, air traffic officer at the environmental organisation Robin Wood.

The involved organisations demand an immediate ban on ultra-short-haul flights whose destinations can be reached by alternative modes of transport within four hours. By implementing the 'Germany cycle' and further optimising the railways, it would be possible to move to rail for journeys up to 600km without any loss of comfort.

In the future, short-haul flights of up to 1,500km could also to be banned. Tamara Hanstein from Attac explains: "The future government must set the course for sustainable rail transport. Rail travel must become much more attractive and cheaper." The authorities and companies have to change their travel expense guidelines and set incentives so that the train and video conferences are used.

The signatories of the paper include: Robin Wood, Attac, the Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND), Youth in the Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUNDjugend), Stay Grounded, the Federal Association against Aircraft Noise (BVF), Am Boden Stay, the initiative for climate, environmental and noise protection in air traffic eV, the alliance against the airport expansion Leipzig-Halle, citizens for the reduction of the pollution of the air traffic in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (BAW HH | SH), the alliance Verkehrswende Frankfurt, Schöne Städt eV, the Ecology & Paper Forum, as well as the initiative against aircraft noise in the Vordertaunus.

You can find the original press release here [1].