Research: Reducing airport carbon emissions
Our modelling shaped the global Airport Carbon Accreditation standard for airport carbon management - saving more than million tonnes of CO2.
Summary
Research summary
Our research on carbon emissions reporting in the air transport sector began in the early 2000s.
Prof Paul Hooper discovered inconsistent emissions reporting that made it difficult to compare the environmental performance of airline operators. His work suggested similar variability between airports too, making it almost impossible to assess or address emissions across the aviation sector.
Prof Hooper and Prof Callum Thomas developed a tool to help airports measure their eco footprint, working with Manchester Airport on the prototype.
Later research helped to define the wider airport system for emissions reporting, including for the first time so called ‘scope 3’ emissions covering surface access, aircraft, utilities, supply chain and waste. The study revealed that by focusing only on emissions within their control or ownership, and not scope 3, airport operators were likely to under report emissions by more than 90%.
Chris Paling and Dr Rachel Dunk re-examined scope 3 emissions reporting in 2020. They concluded that airport operators still do not report all emissions arising from their activities - and in doing so fail to see the full extent of their contribution to climate change. Their carbon management plans may be inadequate as a result.
Statistic
Impact
Research impact
The research directly shaped the creation of Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), the leading global carbon management certification programme for airports. It is endorsed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and many other international aviation sector organisations.
There are more than 300 ACA-accredited airports worldwide, representing about half of global passenger numbers. Collectively, these airports reduce direct emissions by about 5% per year.
Evidence from our airport system carbon footprinting research shaped ACA’s accounting principles and methods, specifically the inclusion of scope 3 emissions within the scheme.
Recent research has also informed the new Level 4/4+ accreditation, which launched in November 2020 and aims to deliver absolute reductions in scope 3 emissions.
Building capacity for climate action
Our researchers deliver airport carbon management training on behalf of Airports Council International.
It covers carbon management best practice and highlights the benefits of including scope 3 emissions for environmental risk reduction.
Over a decade we have supported 200 staff from more than 40 airport operators to introduce and improve robust carbon management practices, including in regions where environmental management practices are least well developed.
Airport Footprints Ltd (AFL), a spin-out from our research, is the world’s only dedicated airport carbon management consultancy.
Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan is one of its great success stories. The airport was first in the Middle East to attain level 3+ accreditation in 2018 and was acknowledge by Airports Council International for excellence in carbon management – the only non-European airport to be so recognised.
Delivering sustainable development
Climate action
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management
Partnership for the goals
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Research outputs
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Hooper, PD and Greenall, A (2005) Exploring the potential for environmental performance benchmarking in the airline sector. Benchmarking 12(2):151-165
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RDC Aviation and Airport Footprints Limited. (2009). Induced GHG Footprint: Methodology for the Assessment of Airport-related Projects: Part I. Report for European Investment Bank.
Team
Funding
With funding from
Airports Council International
European Investment Bank
Eurocontrol
Engineering and Physical Sciences
Contact
Contact us
For general enquiries, please contact Sustainable Environments research group leads Dr Ling Lim or Chris Paling.