MADRID, 18 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge Commission will debate and vote next Wednesday on an initiative by Sumar to analyze the environmental impact of the reduction of short flights and European measures to restrict private flights.

It will be the first time that the Lower House sets a position on the reduction of short flights in favor of a rail alternative. An issue that has been championed by the plurinational group and that was included in the Government agreement with the PSOE.

With its proposal, which Europa Press has accessed, Sumar urges the Executive to prepare a report that analyzes the reduction in emissions that would result from promoting the reduction of short-haul flights with a three-hour rail alternative, identifying all the other impacts that would have this measurement.

Likewise, it calls on the Executive to carry out another study on European initiatives regarding the measures to be applied to restrict private jet flights. It also calls for promoting the approval of the European Union directive on the taxation of energy products, among which is kerosene for aviation.

In the statement of reasons for this initiative, Sumar points to the factor of unhealthiness, since in Spain every year 25,000 people die from diseases aggravated by poor air quality, according to the European Environment Agency.

In addition, remember that it is estimated that aviation is responsible for between 5% and 8% of the global climate impact and that if no measures are taken, aviation emissions are expected to double by 2050, representing up to a quarter of the total. global greenhouse gas emissions, all according to the European Mobility Atlas.

The training understands that the "only" way to reduce aviation emissions is by reducing air traffic, for which it has advocated ending the regulatory advantages of aviation over more sustainable forms of transportation. In his opinion, it is the "most urgent" measure.

In this way, he gives as an example countries like Austria, Sweden or France, where short-distance flights have been dispensed with in order to use the train more. Something that in the group's opinion could be done on certain routes in Spain, such as between Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Malaga, Seville, Valencia and Madrid, which have alternative high-speed train routes that take around three hours, as stated.