A new law in the US has made it virtually impossible to monitor the private jet activities of celebrities and billionaires. This has sparked a debate on where to draw the line between protecting the privacy of the uber-rich and our right to call for climate accountability.
On May 16, President Biden signed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorisation bill into law, ushering in a new era of anonymity for private jet owners.
The move permits high-profile individuals to shield their aircraft registration information from public view and has raised concerns among environmental advocates about how it will affect climate accountability going forward.
Previously, aircraft ownership registration had to be transparent to enable researchers to track and calculate the emissions generated by frequent private jet usage and the impact of this on the environment.
So it makes sense that the amendment β which has allegedly been implemented as a security measure β is being criticised as a thinly-veiled attempt to obscure the carbon footprints of the uber-rich.
Those in favour argue that it addresses the issue of safety which celebrities and billionaires are growing increasingly anxious about as social media continues to blur the lines between private and public.
Those against have pointed out that numerous wealthy people were already finding ways to conceal their aircraft ownership through complex legal structures, making this a matter of maintaining a positive professional image, not safeguarding protection.
One such example is tech moguls like Mark Zuckerberg masking the registration of their private jet through independent LLCβs or trusts and, in turn, their connection to this heavily-polluting mode of transport.
How will this cloud transparency?
The popularity of tracking the private jet usage of the uber-rich stems from a mounting awareness across the globe that luxury air travel is having a detrimental impact on the planet.
Social media accounts, most notably @CelebrityJets, have played a significant role in drawing attention to this.
By documenting the flights of celebrities and billionaires, these profiles have ignited heated discussions about the responsibility of these individuals to prevent further environment degradation.
They have also bred a great deal of tension between privacy advocates and climate activists.
Of the several incidents that exemplify this, Elon Musk threatening legal action against Jack Sweeney (who runs @CelebrityJets) and temporarily banning him from X in 2020 is the most prominent.