President Joe Biden will generate an estimated 2.2 million pounds of carbon during his trip to Europe to speak on the perils of climate change.
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 Italy and Scotland, where the president will speak at the COP26 summit on change in Glasgow, with the remainder emitted by Biden's cars.
His fleet is comprised up 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 gets as much as 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,
President Joe Biden used a massive 85-car motorcade to wind through the streets of Rome on Friday for his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican
The motorcade was centered around The Beast, the president's armored limousine that gets as much as 8 mpg, but was also comprised of gas guzzling Chevy Suburban SUVs and Alfa Romeo police cars
Extra cars were needed as Italy's lockdown rules allow only three non-cohabiting people including the driver to be together in a vehicle
