Joe Biden is blasted for making 10,000 mile return trip on Air Force One for CLIMATE CHANGE summit
President will generate an estimated 2.2 million pounds of carbon during his trip to Europe to speak on the perils of . The gigantic carbon footprint is comprised of 2.16 million pounds of carbon dioxide generated by the four large planes that comprise his airborne entourage on the trip to and Scotland, where the president will speak at the COP26 summit on change in , with the remainder emitted by Biden's cars. His fleet is comprised of the heavily modified Boeing 747 he travels on, known as Air Force One when the president is on board, an identical decoy, and two huge C-17 Globemaster planes to carry his battalion of cars and helicopters. Those jets each belch out an average of 54 pounds of carbon per mile flown. An average American would generate 0.365 pounds of carbon for if they flew a similar distance - just under 10,000 miles - on a regular scheduled flight. Biden's Cadillac 'Beast,' a 20,000 pound armored limousine that only gets around 8 mpg, was surrounded by dozens of slow moving cars as he pulled into the courtyard of the Vatican for his meeting with Pope Francis on Friday. It generates an estimated 8.75 pounds of carbon per mile driven - 10 times more than the average car, with two Beasts - the official vehicle and a decoy - forming part of his entourage. The motorcade was 85-cars long, due to Italian COVID-19 rules, which only allow three non-cohabiting people - including the driver - per vehicle. As well as the Beast, it was comprised of gas-guzzling Chevrolet Suburban SUVs, and famously thirsty Alfa Romeo cars driven by Italian police. It would have generated around 73.5 pounds of carbon per mile driven. The trip from Villa Taverna to Vatican City is 4.34 miles long, meaning the total amount of carbon generated by the Beast and its entourage was 373 pounds for that short visit to see Pope Francis where, ironically, the president and leader of the Catholic Church discussed climate change. Biden has been criticized for the largesse on social media, although the White House insists there is no other alternative to ensure the president is safe from any potential threat while traveling, After Biden arrived in Rome on Thursday aboard Air Force One, his team arrived in Scotland on Friday, and separate military jets were used to haul in The Beast and the president's Marine One helicopter, along with scores of security personnel. The Beast and Air Force One have long been criticized by some Americans of not being 'green enough,' with the later costing more than $200,000 an hour to operate, reported. The Air Force One jets, which went into service in 1990, are due to be replaced by two greener new replacements in 2024, but they'll still represent an extremely environmentally-unfriendly means of travel. The Beast itself weighs around 20,000 pounds, sports a 5-litre diesel engine and gets about 8 mpg. Many were quick to point out the hypocrisy as Biden, a vocal advocate for preventing climate change, touts such a gas-guzzling entourage of vehicles during a trip primarily scheduled for a climate chance conference. 'Climate change and worries while jetting setting around the globe. Carbon footprint, you say! Hypocrite,' wrote a Twitter user with the handle name Yellowstoneave. Another Twitter user with name Snowwhite wrote, 'Joe Biden arrives at the Vatican City on Airforce One followed by gas guzzling Chevrolets & outriders. What climate change emergency?' A Twitter user with the handle Hil..n also called Biden a hypocrite. 'Jump on ur helicopter then onto ur jumbo jet and lecture us about climate change.' Biden has fled tanking approval ratings at home and partisan in-fighting over his $1.75trillon spending bill to travel to Rome, where he is set to meet with leaders from the G20 group of wealthy nations for a two-day summit. It is the first face-to-face summit of the G20 since COVID struck, and Biden will be hoping to use it to repair his international reputation following his chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan that frustrated his allies and drew unfavorable comparisons with predecessor Donald Trump. It also comes just two days ahead of the start of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow that will be hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.