The top 10 most polluting airports have been revealed – and three of them are in Europe
Facebook
Twitter
Flipboard
Send
Reddit
Linkedin
Messenger
Telegram
VK
Bluesky
Threads
Whatsapp
New data has exposed the climate and air quality impacts of 1,300 global airports – and it’s bad news for Europe.
Three European airports have been named amongst the top polluting hubs in the world, despite saying they are committed to reaching net-zero by 2050.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
New research from global affairs thinktank ODI Global, in partnership with Transport and Environment (T&E), has lifted the lid on the top 10 most polluting airports by analysing the climate and air quality impacts of 1,300 international hubs.
The analysis, which uses 2023 data (the latest statistics available) provided by the International Council on Clean Transportation, found that the aviation sector would be the fifth-largest emitter if it were a country.
Top 10 most polluting airports
Dubai Airport in the United Arab Emirates, which acts as a major transfer hub, was crowned the most polluting airport of all, emitting 23.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
London Heathrow in the UK came a close second, emitting 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, followed by Los Angeles (18.8 million).
Together, these three airports are responsible for three times as many CO2 emissions as the entire city of Paris - excluding aviation emissions.
RelatedSeoul Incheon airport in Korea ranked fourth, followed by New York’s John F. Kennedy, airport. Then, it was Hong Kong, Charles de Gaulle in France, and Frankfurt in Germany.
Globally, just 100 airports are responsible for approximately two-thirds of total CO2 emissions from passenger flights, while European airports produce more CO2 emissions than hubs in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa combined.
‘A fossil-dependent sector’
T&E argues that new research shows that aviation remains “off-track” to meeting net-zero goals.
“Allowing a fossil-dependent sector to continue expanding by increasing airport capacity only reinforces aviation’s greatest vulnerability,” says Denise Auclair of T&E.
“In the majority of European capitals and regions, the economic case for airport expansion is no longer supported by the latest evidence. It’s high time to prioritise our energy independence and citizens’ health.”
Sam Pickard, a research associate at ODI Global, warns that while many sectors have gradually reduced their emissions since the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015, aviation’s footprint has risen steadily.
“On top of that, we still regularly hear about airport expansion plans that ignore the sector’s outlier status when it comes to emissions,” Pickard adds.
“This should no longer be buried under the rug with half-baked promises of ramping up expensive so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuels or weak offset mechanisms. A genuine strategy and roadmap that includes demand management are sorely needed.”
London Heathrow say, "We have a clear plan to hit net zero and expansion plans need to meet the UK’s legally binding targets on carbon, air quality and noise set out by the government."
Dubai Airport and LAX have been approached for comment.
Go to accessibility shortcuts Share CommentsRead more
