Airports must tackle Scope 3 emissions for sustainability to take off

The global aviation sector is confronting a period of intense environmental scrutiny that is fundamentally altering the strategic priorities of airport operators. Airports are struggling to curtail scope 3 emissions as easy solutions remain elusive for the sector, which has been notoriously difficult to decarbonize.

The air travel industry is no longer viewing sustainability as an external or optional consideration, according to a new strategic market study from advisory firm Accuracy. The reality now is that regulatory compliance is front and center for large aviation players that seek to maintain competitiveness and access the capital necessary for future development.

Around the world, 80% of people have never taken a flight. The steady increase in living standards and global connectivity will begin to grow the demand for air travel, with projections showing passenger traffic could reach more than 16 billion by 2040 and more than 20 billion by 2050.

The challenge of scope 3 emissions

What exactly are scope 3 emissions? They are all the indirect greenhouse gases that result from the activities in a company’s wider network, rather than from the company itself. These are most often out of the direct control of the company.

For an airport, scope 3 emissions include the carbon footprint created by airlines during flights and by people traveling to and from the terminals. Airports are not in direct control of these parts of the value chain, but they can work with partners to find more sustainable solutions.

While many airports have made progress in decarbonizing their immediate environments, the report highlights a significant gap between operational control and total environmental impact. For a typical airport, approximately 86% of total emissions are classified as in-flight scope 3.

The remaining 14% of emissions are linked to ground operations, which include both the airport’s direct footprint and the on-the-ground actions of airlines. Of that percentage, scope 3 emissions are still the vast majority. Landing and takeoff cycles account for the largest part, followed by passenger and employee commutes to airports.

Because scope 3 emissions account for roughly 95% of an airport’s total carbon footprint when considering the entire value chain, they have become the primary battleground for decarbonization. Industry researchers suggest that while improving the energy efficiency of buildings and ground vehicle fleets is a necessary step, these measures only address a small fraction of the total emissions attributed to the sector.

Advancing ground-side innovation

To bridge the gap, operators are exploring innovative operational changes to lower emissions before an aircraft even leaves the runway. One significant lever is the reduction of fuel consumption during the taxiing phase. By implementing measures such as single-engine taxiing or replacing an aircraft’s auxiliary power with ground-based green electricity, airports can cut taxiing fuel use by up to 20%.

Transitioning to renewable energy sources for general airport operations is another critical strategy, with the potential to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by up to 50%. Some facilities are already leading this transition. For example, Cochin International Airport in India, for instance, operates as a fully solar-powered hub, providing a template for energy-positive ecosystems.

The role of sustainable fuels and technology

The most significant opportunities for long-term decarbonization are in the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels and next-generation propulsion technologies. Sustainable aviation fuels, produced from synthetic processes or biomass, can reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%.

Despite this potential, deployment is currently constrained by limited supply and high costs. In 2025, global production reached 2.5 billion liters, which represented less than 1% of total aviation fuel use.

Looking further ahead, low-carbon hydrogen is viewed as a promising solution for short-haul flights, though it faces significant hurdles regarding storage and weight. Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require a staggering global investment of approximately $5 trillion.

Climate resilience and financial risk

Beyond the transition to cleaner energy, airports must also manage the physical risks posed by a changing climate. Many hubs are located in low-lying coastal areas, leaving them vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels. Analysis of 1,200 airports suggests that 269 are currently at risk, a figure that could rise by 30% by the end of the century.

The ability to manage these risks is now directly tied to financial viability. Investors are increasingly redirecting funds toward assets that meet high environmental standards. For example, the European Investment Bank recently halted a €200 million loan for an airport expansion because it lacked a sufficiently robust environmental impact assessment.

Indeed, airports without credible green strategies face higher financing costs and reduced access to the capital markets.