We recently compiled a list of the 20 Airports Producing the Most Emissions and in this article, we will look at the airport producing the most emissions.
Global Aviation Pollution
Emissions from aviation accounted for 2% of global energy related carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. Air travel considerably affects the environment by releasing fumes and fuel gases into the air, polluting the environment and adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Over 99.9% of flights are powered by fossil fuels, which adds more than a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. The emissions due to air travel are expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 2025, after its downward trend in 2020 majorly due to the pandemic. Deteriorating air quality is another impact of fossil fuel-based airlines, which leads to increased levels of pollutants in the environment including sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. These pollutants can cause heart diseases, respiratory illnesses, and even cancer. According to a study by the Health Effects Institute, air pollution was the fourth biggest risk factor for human health, leading to 213 million lost life years. Moreover, Aviation-related PM2.5 and ozone cause 16,000 premature deaths every year.
The trade body of the aviation industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates the air passenger growth to surge by 4.2% on average every year from 2023 to 2040. Air cargo demand is also projected to grow by 4.5% in 2024, which will eventually increase aviation pollution. According to the data by Airport Tracker, the 20 most carbon-polluting airports in the world are responsible for 25% of the total carbon dioxide emission from all the 1,300 airports analyzed. The top 20 most emissions-producing airports emitted 231 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) emissions in 2019. Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe were the dominant regions where the majority of the top 100 most polluting airports were located.
It took the global aviation industry two decades, multiple international agreements, and warnings from scientific bodies to finally recognize the contribution of the industry to climate change. In 2022, it set the ambitious target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. However, this target is heavily dependent on technologies that are still under development. In addition, there are various concerns regarding the feasibility, cost, and practicality of these solutions. The industry needs to accelerate its decarbonization efforts to truly offset its impact. In November 2023, a meeting of over 100 countries agreed to an interim goal of reducing emissions from the global aviation industry by 2030, utilizing less polluting fuel. Countries including China and Russia presented their concerns about the impact of this on their economies. However, after five days of UN-led talks, a target of 5% lower carbon emissions by using cleaner energy sources such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was set.
Acknowledging the severity of the matter, the European Union has also adopted a proactive stance requiring EU airports to supply a fuel mix that contains a minimum of 2% sustainable aviation fuel beginning in 2025. This target will rise in the coming years, reaching 6% by 2030, 20% by 2035, and 70% by 2050. In light of the new mandate, the German passenger airline Lufthansa is increasing its fares by 72 euros as an environmental charge. These charges will apply to all flights departing from EU countries, Switzerland, Britain, and Norway. These charges will partially support the inclusion of sustainable aviation fuel.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are a promising solution to curb the emissions generated by the aviation sector. However, there are several challenges that come with it. Firstly, the current SAF produced only meets 0.1% of fuel consumption, however, the required demand is 400 billion liters by 2050 which is a huge increase. Other solutions like hydrogen and electric airplanes are currently limited to short flights. But on the bright side, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a considerable surge in SAF production capacity in the US in 2024. The EIA expects the SAF production to increase 14-fold after all announced capacity additions become operational by the end of this year. As a broad trend, biofuel production is expected to rise by nearly 50%.
This Airline Company is Leading the Charge of Sustainable Flights
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) operates passenger and freight flights, both regionally and internationally. It has emerged as a leader in the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel. Its sustainability journey began in 2009 when it initially tested SAF, making it the first airline in the United States to explore the fuel which is estimated to reduce aviation emissions by a staggering 85%. The company further demonstrated its commitment by becoming the first US airline to incorporate SAF in its regular flights in 2016. Its growth in sustainability was only growing with its early investment in a SAF production company, Fulcrum BioEnergy. In 2021, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) made history in the country with their first 100% SAF flight in 2021. The company is committed to reducing its carbon intensity by 50% from 2019 to 2035 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
Over the past years, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) has increased its investment in environment-friendly aviation practices. Emerging as a frontrunner in the aviation industry, the company established the first-ever sustainable flight fund in February 2023, to leverage support across cross-industry businesses to support investments in SAF research, technology, and production. The fund has grown to include 22 major businesses across various sectors with the total investment reaching over $200 million. To date, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) has secured the future production of more than 5 billion gallons of SAF, far ahead of other airlines. The early investments by the company could potentially translate to lower fuel costs in the future.
With the increasing government subsidies for SAF, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) will benefit greatly as a leader in the industry. The strategic early-on sustainable approach by the company positions it apart from its competitors. With the US EIA’s estimation of a staggering 1400% increase in SAF production in 2024, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) will be able to leverage its forward-thinking approach and its competitive edge to achieve potential cost savings when environmental regulations become more stringent.
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) recorded a strong 2023 and became the largest airline by passenger capacity, flying 73.7 billion available seat miles. The company also logged a high profit margin, with its passenger revenue per available seat mile reaching $16.84, with an operating cost per unit excluding fuel of $12.03, leading to a profit margin of $4.81 per unit, compared to American Airlines which recorded $4.32 per unit in 2023. UAL is quite popular among elite investors, with 46 hedge fund managers holding long positions worth $1.49 billion in the stock, as of Q1 2024. UAL is trading 5 times its earnings, a 74% discount compared to its industry median price and an 88% discount to its 5-year average. Over the past 6 months, the stock has returned nearly 25% to its investors, and analysts’ average price target points to a further 42% upside from current levels. You can also look at the 10 Best Airline Stocks to Buy for 2024.
An aerial shot of a busy airport, showcasing the private aviation services of the company.
Methodology
To compile our list of the 20 airports producing the most emissions, we consulted the Airport Tracker 2024, which is a joint project by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), ODI, and Transport and Environment (T&E). It tracks emissions and air pollution information for the 1,300 largest airports, covering 99% of the global airline passenger traffic. We have used the most recent total carbon emissions data available and ranked the 20 airports that produce the most emissions in ascending order of our metric.
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The Airport Producing the Most Emissions
1. Dubai Airport
Total Carbon Emissions (2019): 20.1 Million Tonnes of CO2
Dubai International Airport is ranked 1st on our list of the airports producing the most emissions. The airport is the main international airport in Dubai, UAE, and the busiest airport in the world. In 2019, it generated 20.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, of which passenger flights represented 83%. The airport has made efforts to lead the aviation sector to net zero by collaborating with organizations working for airports, including Airports Council International (ACI) and World Economic Forum (WEF) in their joint effort, Airports of Tomorrow. It pledges to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Curious to learn about other airports producing the most emissions? Check out our report on the 20 Airports Producing the Most Emissions.
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