Airports

What is the impact of airports on the climate?

Some of the world's largest airports are equivalent to yearly emissions of entire cities. For example Paris Charles de Gaulle airport’s total emissions are equivalent to 1.31 times the annual emissions of Buenos Aires.

They also enable aviation - the most climate-intensive form of transport - traffic and emissions to rise. From 2005 to 2019, aviation traffic in Europe grew 67%, causing its emissions to grow, and emissions are projected to grow by a further 38% by 2050.

London is the city with the highest emissions from airports globally. Heathrow Airport alone ranks second in the world for the most polluting airport.

To better understand the climate and air quality impacts of existing and proposed airports, T&E and its partners have developed the Airport Tracker.

The Airport Tracker is an online tool that illustrates the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and local air pollutants generated from passenger, freight and private jet flights departing from 1,300 airports around the world. It is a joint project between ODI Global, T&E and data-providing partner International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

What is the impact of airports on health?

52 million people - more than 10% of Europe’s total population - live within a 20km radius from the 32 busiest airports in Europe and are particularly exposed to ultrafine particles (UFP) from aviation. In Paris alone, 8 million people are affected by its two main airports Charles de Gaulle and Orly.

The exposure to UFPs can be linked to the development of serious and long-term health conditions, including respiratory problems, cardiovascular effects and pregnancy issues.To date, there is no regulation on safe levels of UFPs in the air.

Air traffic noise is also responsible for cardiovascular disease and sleep disturbances. Despite advancements in aircraft noise reduction, the rising volume of air traffic means that many European citizens are increasingly exposed to high noise levels around major airports.

How can we align airport capacity with climate and health goals?

Many airports in Europe and globally have announced plans to grow their capacity and air traffic. This push to expand is in stark contradiction with the need to decarbonise the aviation sector.

T&E analysis shows industry claims that more flights benefit the economy are often flawed. Plans for expansion of airport capacity should be paused to conduct a critical review of up-to-date, regionally-specific evidence on claimed economic benefits. In regions where air connectivity no longer drives growth in GDP per capita, nor quality tourism value, airport expansion should be ended.

In the short term, flight restrictions are swift and effective tools to address CO₂ and noise pollution. In line with the EU’s aim to strengthen rail as an alternative to short-haul and even longer flights, rail should be further prioritised on feasible routes. This should be supported by the Air Services Regulation, which allows for limitations on traffic where serious environmental problems exist, when other modes of transport can provide alternative service.

Airport operating restrictions on flights are the measure most immediately available to protect citizens from noise pollution, and should be prioritised in the EU’s Balanced Approach Regulation, which addresses measures for facilitating the achievement of noise abatement objectives, including health aspects, at the level of individual airports.

Can airports become more sustainable?

The way airport slots are allocated directly determines the environmental footprint of aviation. The number of slots available at an airport sets a ceiling for air traffic volume and therefore for CO₂ emissions, nitrogen deposition, noise pollution, and local air quality impacts. Airport slot allocation should promote cleaner fuels and aircraft via the EU’s Slot Regulation, based on criteria such as the prioritisation of slots for more sustainable operations.

New engine designs, such as lean combustion engines, can also cut down on particle emissions, and especially soot. This could improve air quality around airports, thereby benefiting the health of nearby communities. The EU’s Airport Charges Directive should include clear, robust, and mandatory provisions for providing charges modulation or specific exemptions for supporting cleaner aircraft technologies and operations using sustainable aviation fuels.

The Groundhandling Directive, designed to ensure competition in ground services, should ensure fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory access to on-airport fuelling infrastructure for new and sustainable energy sources. Public funds should be invested in green infrastructure for e-kerosene and zero-emission aircraft in the next EU budget 2028-34 as well as in state aid, and in ongoing European Investment Bank lending in the transport sector.