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ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS MAGAZINE
SPECIAL REPORT: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Aviation’s challenge Leonie Dobbie, aviation consultancy company WSP's strategic aviation advisor, considers the benefits of embedding sustainability action into airport decision-making.
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rom the 1991 Earth Summit in Rio to the 2015 Paris Agreement, policymakers have attempted to come to grips with the science and political-economic implications of climate change. Achieving the Paris Agreement goals requires that we hold the increase in global average temperature to below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels (and that we pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5ºC). To do so, net emissions must ultimately be reduced to zero. APA Issue 1, 2020
Current levels of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions suggest a possible rise in temperature to above 3ºC this century, thus exceeding the goals envisioned by the Paris Agreement. Physical manifestations of climate change through extreme weather events (such as flooding, hurricanes and wildfires) are more commonplace. Representing about 2.5% of global GHG emissions, aviation is on course to become responsible for 20% or more of global emissions – a growth trajectory incompatible with targets to reduce GHG emissions.
