Management of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Airport Inventories

Greenhouse gases retain heat in the atmosphere since they absorb most of the Earth's outgoing long wave infrared radiation. The energy trapping alters the radiative balance that, in turn, modifies weather patterns at a global scale, progressively increasing the natural greenhouse effect. Heattrapping ability of some pollutants and primarily the carbon overload in the atmosphere as a result of human activities which have been protracted over a long period of time, has led to climate change and increase in global average temperature. In a long-term perspective, emission abatement from aviation sector has needed wide-ranging strategies. In this view an inventory of greenhouse gases can be a benchmark with regard to which to assess the reaching of quantitative targets of emissions reduction set at the political level, to develop control measures and to monitor human-influenced climate drivers over time. Based on the above, the article focuses on issues of air pollution generated by airport operations with a view to devising airport inventories appropriate for effectively managing Greenhouse Gas emissions. After an overview of policy framework on climate change, core policies, standards and guidelines in force in the international regulatory context on this subject, the essential steps to be followed for developing an airport Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory and methodologies used to calculate their amount are presented. At last, references to proactively address issues concerning sustainability of airports are proposed and commented in order to gain better knowledge on management practices to be taken to plan mitigation measures and reduce polluting emissions