Greta Thunberg’s flotilla creates 165 tons of air pollution, same as 206 trips from Tel Aviv to UK

 Greta Thunberg’s Sumud Flotilla produced a total of 165 tons of air pollution during its trip from Spain to Gaza, which the energy company Volta Solar calculated to be the same as 206 trips by plane from Tel Aviv to London.

“Over the course of 5 weeks of sailing, the almost 50 vessels in the flotilla consumed a total of about 53,600 liters of diesel,” the study from Volta Solar explained and added, “This fuel consumption is equivalent to direct emissions (tank-to-wheel, TTW) of about 144 thousand kg of CO₂ – that is, about 144 tons of carbon dioxide emitted from the engines alone.”

"It is not surprising that those who act hypocritically in the field of climate also chose the side of the forces of darkness and not the forces of light," said Eran Tal, CEO of Volta Solar and a reserve officer who founded the first solar unit in the IDF.

The analysis also points out that the main polluters were those who made the trip using only large, motorized ships, while sailboats that used their engines to a limited extent had a lesser impact.

How the Sumud Flotilla polluted the Mediterranean

Volta Solar pointed out that the flotilla’s trip to Gaza was equivalent to 206 flights from Tel Aviv to London in terms of air pollution. It was also equal to the total amount of pollution that 82 family cars produce on average in a year.

“An average family car emits about 2 tons of CO₂ per year (a trip of about 15,000 km); so 165 tons is equal to the emissions of about 82 vehicles for an entire year,” the study showed.

In terms of how many trees would be needed to absorb the total amount of pollution, the study explained that if an adult tree absorbs an average of 10–25 kg of CO₂ per year, then between 6,600 and 16,500 trees would be needed to offset such emissions.

The study also examined the ocean damage caused by the flotilla, which absorbed about 50 tons and altered the water's acidity levels.

“About 30% of the CO₂ emitted by humans is absorbed by the sea, causing an increase of about 26% in the acidity of ocean water,” they explain and add, “Of the 165 tons, about 50 tons will be absorbed by the sea over time: this impact damages the ability of corals, oysters and krill to build skeletons, and endangers the marine food chain and fish.”