Pascal Husting, Greenpeace International’s international programme director, has been commuting between his Amsterdam office and his home in Luxembourg since 2012.
Documents leaked to the Guardian show that Greenpeace pay for the flights that occur “several times a month.” The round trip costs about 250 euros and according to airline KLM would generate 142 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.
Greenpeace has lead a vocal campaign to reduce air travel and has previously said "the growth in aviation is ruining our chances of stopping dangerous climate change."
In a blog post John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK appeared to defend Mr Husting’s air travel:
“As for Pascal’s air travel. Well it’s a really tough one. Was it the right decision to allow him to use air travel to try to balance his job with the needs of his family for a while?," he wrote.
"For me, it feels like it gets to the heart of a really big question. What kind of compromises do you make in your efforts to try to make the world a better place?"
"I think there is a line there. Honesty and integrity to the values that are at the heart of the good you’re trying to do in the world cannot be allowed to slip away."
"For what it’s worth, I don’t think we’ve crossed that line here at Greenpeace.”
The revelations have prompted outcries of hypocrisy on social media.
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