ABSTRACT

In response to growing concern about the environmental impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, airport operators worldwide are increasingly implementing new sustainable practices to help reduce costs, increase efficiency and reduce their environmental impacts. These initiatives include the installation of renewable energy systems as well as other ‘green’ initiatives to promote standard of living and good health. The paper examines the ways in which UK airports have responded to the challenge of reducing the environmental impacts of operations for which they are directly responsible by implementing green and sustainable energy and working practices. The work explores the green airport policies in the UK which leads to a sustainable airport practices in the UK aviation markets.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

CHAPTER TWO

• LITERATURE REVIEW
• OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
• AIRPORT CONCEPTS
• ENERGY SOURCES IN AIRPORT
• ENERGY RENEWABLE SOURCES IN AIRPORT
• REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
• ETHICAL ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS
• CONCLUSION

CHAPTER THREE

• METHODOLOGY
• RESEARCH DESIGN
• STUDY AREA
• RESEARCH APPROACH

CHAPTER FOUR

• RESULT
• ‘Green’ and sustainable practices at UK airports

CHAPTER FIVE

• DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                          INTRODUCTION

1.1                                             BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The growth in air travel has been accompanied by increasing concerns surrounding the associated environmental implications, seen as externalities (Dessens et al., 2014; Kilic et al., 2019). As such, the aviation sector is a major contributor to climate change, and the proportion attributed to aviation is set to increase because it is one of the hardest sectors to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions (Andres and Padilla, 2018). This is especially the case when compared to other forms of energy consumption, such as industrial and domestic use (Banister, 2019). Much of the research focus has been on greenhouse gas mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impacts from aviation. Climate change has started to impact aspects of human environmental interactions (IPCC, 2014a). While the aviation sector has long been referenced as contributing to the causes of climate change through greenhouse gas emissions, the need for aviation to adapt to the consequences of climate change has not been well researched or considered (Burbidge, 2018; Thompson, 2016).

The main function of an airport is to provide access to air transport both for passengers and cargo. The number of air operations over the past 20 years in UK has increased rapidly, and this has led to a rise in the energy needs of airports to satisfy this demand. As a consequence, the cost of energy supply for airport managers has escalated. At the same time, global energy consumption has soared due to the needs of emerging countries, with the consequent environmental impact. This complex scenario of environmental factors has made airport managers become aware of the need to reduce energy consumption as well as a more efficient use of it.

During the last two decades, the consumption of primary energy and CO₂ emissions has grown 50% worldwide (Rowlings et al., 2018). Today, despite the uncertainty about the economic growth outlook in the short and medium term, forecasts show that global energy demand will register a sharp rise and will increase by a third in the period 2015–2040 (Rowlings et al., 2018). This rapid increase in energy consumption is likely to have a significant environmental impact in the near future, and may even cause supply problems in some areas.

Adaptation considers how impacts and risks caused by climate change can be reduced and managed, while emission reductions are designed to mitigate the causes of climate change (IPCC, 2014b). There are high levels of natural variability in the climate system, evidenced by extreme weather events causing heat waves, droughts and floods. According to Burbidge (2018), the projected climate impacts affecting aviation most directly are changes in precipitation and temperature, sea-level rise, wind changes and the impacts of more extreme weather events. In addition, climate change shifts the parameters of the systems that underpin weather patterns, to provide new sets of impacts and risks that will require different management strategies (Dilling et al., 2015). This study was carried out to explore the green airport policies in the UK which leads to a sustainable airport practices.

1.2      Statement of the problem

Emissions from aircraft represent the biggest challenge in our environment. There are two major fuels used in today’s aircraft: the commonly called “jet fuel” used in commercial turbine engines (called Jet A-1, Jet A, and Jet B) and in military jets (called JP-4, JP-5 and JP-8), and the leaded aviation fuel (Avgas) used in piston engine aviation fleets. These fuels each have different impacts. The most significant and ubiquitous environmental impact caused by the use of jet fuels is due to the large quantity of fuel 3 consumed and the altitudes at which commercial airliners and military aircraft operate. Although aviation plays an indispensable role in today’s global economy, it is presently at the center of rising controversy due to its disproportionate contribution to greenhouse gases and the potential to become one of the major causes of anthropogenic climate change. The proposed study discusses the environmental impact of aviation which also identifies ideal policy for the implementation of a “Green Airport” in the Uk.

1.3      Aim and objectives of the study

The main aim of this study is to explore how uk is managing green airports practices. The study shall fulfill the following objectives:

1. To Identify the environmental impact of airports operations
2. To examine the policies used to manage these environmental impacts by UK airports.

• To study measures used in controlling environmental impact of airports operations

1.4      Significance of the study

The study shall serve as a means of ensuring flight and environmental safety and the issues of professional ethics in the airport which will at the end serve locally as a catalyst to promote energy independence while improving economic conditions. This study shall serve as a means of studying the environmental sustainability measures for airports.

The study shall provide a balanced approach for maximizing the capacity of airports and the possibilities and potentials for future growth in one hand, and minimizing the accompanying negative impacts on the other hand.

1.5      Research methodology

The research work is started with problem identification, which is followed by defining the objectives, literature review, significance, ethical issues and consideration of the study shall be discussed.

The research has then proceeded by introducing the study in full and related literatures were shall be reviewed using magazines, books, journals, internet etc. In parallel with literature review, an in-depth desk study shall be conducted to identify previous studies on environmental impacts of the UK airport. Is in this review that ethical issues and considerations shall be discussed

The chapter three shall discuss the method that can be used in dealing with the Emissions problem from aircraft. In this writing, the main concerns of environmental sustainability raised by operation of airports are highlighted and the importance of engagement of communities as well as effective interference of government as part of the policy planning process for airports sustainability shall be discussed and the result shall be generated with respect to the study method used.

Finally, conclusion and recommendation shall be drafted base on the proposed study.

1.6      Limitation of the study

Some of the main environmental and sustainable development concerns raised with respect to the operation of airports are emissions, noise issues, land use by airports and energy consumption, but this study shall be limited to greenhouse gas emissions of the UK airports operation.

1.7      scope of the study

The scope of this work covers studying the greenhouse impact of airports in the UK, and the policy derived for the purpose of reducing environmental impacts and emissions.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1                                          DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Focusing on five key areas of airport operations, this paper has examined various ways in which UK airports have responded to the challenge of reducing the environmental impacts of operations for which they are directly responsible by implementing green and sustainable practices. To a significant degree these were borne out of the collective need to address the growing environmental externalities of the aviation industry, and a realization that unconstrained growth was likely to be socially and environmentally unsustainable. This situation remains highly relevant, and in all likelihood will intensify in the short to medium term in response to the changing climate, scientific breakthroughs, new regulations and legislation, increasing costs, changing public attitudes, and increased demand for air travel.

It is evident that a wide range of practices are currently in operation at UK airports, and there is cause for cautious optimism in that in many cases these are yielding immediate, significant benefits both environmentally and economically. Although admittedly not exhaustive, examples of similar practices provided in the paper show that similar measures and schemes are in operation at airports worldwide. As the number of airports adopting such measures increases over time, the scope for improvements through sharing of skills and best practice will increase likewise.

However, a word of caution should be offered as there are clearly a number of important challenges facing airports in this regard. Not least the challenging financial conditions under which airports must continue to operate following the recent economic downturn and additional financial burdens imposed by more stringent security protocols, for example. Where possible, it is therefore important that short term savings/benefits are not solely prioritized at the expense of strategies where the benefits may seemingly take longer to come to fruition.

This situation would be aided significantly by a much clearer, more transparent policy direction from decision makers in terms of reconciling the undoubted economic benefits of aviation and forecasted shortfalls in airport capacity, with often very ambitious environmental targets linked to Greenhouse Gas emissions and climate change. While there remains considerable uncertainty in this regard, what is more certain is the ongoing need for aviation to address its environmental externalities and the continuing prominence of the sustainability agenda in political and policy-making rhetoric for the foreseeable future. It is also apparent that ‘green’ and sustainable airport practices are, perhaps unsurprisingly, most developed and advanced in the mature aviation markets of Western Europe, North America, and selected territories in Asia (including, most notably, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore) where environmental consciousness and regulation regarding aviation and the environment are already well established. While it is important that this continues, it is widely considered that future growth in the industry will occur most rapidly in the emerging markets of in Asia Pacific and parts of the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and South America (Boeing, 2013; Airbus, 2013). For example, the aircraft manufacturer Boeing forecast that from 2013 to 2032 the Asia Pacific Region will take order of nearly 13,000 new aircraft. In comparison, Europe and North America are expected to receive 7,460 and 7,250 new aircraft, respectively (Boeing, 2013). It is therefore especially important, indeed vital, that airport operators in these emerging markets are aware of the concept of sustainable aviation growth, the challenges it poses, and the strategies and measures currently employed by airports to aid in achieving it.