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