All about Aviation’s Environmental efficiency - SGS Frangible view
Aviation is one of the first industries to have strategic
goals for reducing its impact on climate change along with its improved efforts
of environmental performance.
Climate action
The aviation industry works on a climate action
framework.
• Technological innovation – New generation aircrafts are
roughly 15% to 20% more fuel efficient.
• Sustainable aviation fuels - Sustainable aviation fuels
secure the sustainable growth of air travel by reducing CO2 emissions around
80% in comparison to fossil fuels.
• Operational improvements - New air traffic control
techniques are being used for saving emissions like – landing using a
continuous descent and adding wingtip devices.
• Infrastructure efficiencies - Shortening flying times
and reformed air traffic management systems cut emissions significantly.
• Market-based measures - Economic measures and more
efficient operations to account for emissions only once thereby ensuring
no-multiple taxation for passengers.
Reducing noise
Aircraft noise can be disturbing so the industry has been
working to reduce noise with results of least noise footprint of each new
generation of aircraft which is estimated to be 15% lower than the previous
models.
• Mandated decreases - ICAO introduced a new standard in
noise reduction which states that new aircraft models need to be at least seven
decibels quieter in comparison to those built earlier thereby ensuring the
quietest technology will be used on future aircraft. It involves operational
improvements, land-use planning, flight restrictions and management.
• Technology - Examining of factors like size of the fan
blades in the engine, size and number of flaps that help control the wing
shape, the position of the engine on the aircraft body and air travelling
through the engines further cut noise and emissions.
• Air traffic management - Controlling where planes fly
during take-off and landing has an important impact on noise pollution that’s
how air navigation service providers, pilots, airlines and airport operators
implement reduced thrust take-off, continuous descent operations, and displaced
landing threshold as noise reduction procedures.
Improving air quality
With advanced technical developments, the new aircrafts
emit 50% less carbon monoxide and 90% less smoke in comparison to the ones made
long back thereby limiting the emissions from aircraft and other activities at
airports.
• Cleaner aircraft technology - The International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) regularly tightens nitrogen oxide emissions for
new aircrafts.
• Limiting the impact at airports - Aircraft emissions
are reduced further with fixed electrical ground power and supplies at the
terminal gate that makes the aircraft to reducing fuel burn, switch off their
auxiliary power units at terminal gates and decrease pollutants. In addition to
this, the aircraft and engine manufactures have also introduced an additional
80% cut in nitrogen oxide in 2020 thereby further reducing emissions and noise
impact.
Greener manufacturing
Aircraft and engine manufacturers around the world are
working towards improving of their factories by opting greener manufacturing
that great contributes to sustainability. Some even insist on such standards
throughout their production supply chain that ensures 100% of waste recycled, hence
reflecting efficient production management. This approach results in reduction
of water consumption, CO2, energy consumption and non-recycled waste
production. Apart from this, the amount of waste generated from airport
involves a number of other sources viz. retail outlets, restrooms, restaurants,
flight catering centers, airport offices, aircraft and air cargo terminals, to
mitigate the environmental impact of waste, airports are implementing
sustainable waste management processes.