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🗞️ Driving the news: New research identifies the world's most polluting airports, with Dubai International leading the pack and several European airports including Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Amsterdam Schiphol ranking in the top 20
• The 2024 Airport Tracker, by ODI and Transport & Environment, highlights the climate and air quality impact of passenger flights and air freight
🔭 The context: This study marks the first to include air freight in its analysis of emissions from 1,300 airports globally, revealing significant pollution levels
• The report underscores the growing issue of pollution from airports, contributing to health risks and economic costs across Europe
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Airports are major sources of CO2, NOx, and PM2.5 emissions, contributing to climate change and public health issues
• The research exposes the aviation sector's challenges in decarbonizing and the inadequacy of current efforts, such as the slow adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), to mitigate these impacts effectively
⏭️ What's next: The report calls for immediate action to address airport pollution, suggesting measures like night flight bans and fuel quality improvements
• It also highlights the importance of shifting to alternative modes of transport, like trains for short distances, to reduce the aviation sector's environmental footprint
💬 One quote: "Pollution around airports is growing year on year. It affects millions of people, who breathe in toxic emissions and develop health conditions as a result, yet policymakers are brushing the problem under the carpet," (Jo Dardenne, Aviation Director at T&E)
📈 One stat: The largest 20 airports combined produced 231 million tonnes of CO2 - as much carbon as 58 coal-fired power stations
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