The document discusses assessing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts as part of an environmental impact assessment for a hypothetical sustainable airport project with a design life from 2025-2050. It identifies key issues to consider for the construction, operational, and airline phases in order to demonstrate a pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. These include emissions from construction materials and transport, surface access and airport infrastructure emissions, and the need for sustainable aviation fuels and new aircraft technologies to significantly reduce airline emissions over the project lifetime.

1. Pathway to
Net Zero and
EIA
Institution of Environmental Sciences
EIA Discussion Forum
28 October 2020

2. Eleni Antoniades
Project Environmental Lead
Construction Environmental Management and Assessment
Aviation and Infrastructure
Trustee and Board Member of the IES
email: e.antoniades@eaenvironmental.com
linkedin.com/in/eleniantoniadesenvironmental
Joined by Martin O’Connell
Managing Director at Martin O'Connell Associates
Specialises in design and project management of airport development

3. EIA Process
Greenhouse gas assessment and climate change are not new topics and have been an integral part of EIA
for a number of decades.
For example, the greenhouse gas assessment topic was already included as a requirement of all UK
transport projects in 1999 in the DfT Transport Appraisal Guidance.
There are a number of guidance documents in relation to the assessment of greenhouse gases in
environmental impact assessment:
EU Guidance for SEA and EIA:
• Guidance on Integrating Climate Change and Biodiversity into Strategic Environmental Assessment,
2013
• Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects Guidance on the preparation of the Environmental Impact
Assessment Report, 2017
Department for Transport, Transport Appraisal Guidance:
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tag-forthcoming-changes-to-carbon-values
Industry guidance:
• Environmental Impact Assessment Guide to: Assessing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Evaluating their
Significance , IEMA & Arup, 2017

4. EIA Process
The requirement to assess a project’s impact on climate change and assess GHG has been recently
reinforced by the EIA Regulations Amendment in 2017
EIA Town and Country Planning As Amended in 2017
SCHEDULE 4INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION IN ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENTS
4. A description of the factors specified in regulation 4(2) likely to be significantly affected by the
development: population, human health, biodiversity (for example fauna and flora), land (for example
land take), soil (for example organic matter, erosion, compaction, sealing), water (for example
hydromorphological changes, quantity and quality), air, climate (for example greenhouse gas
emissions, impacts relevant to adaptation), material assets, cultural heritage, including architectural
and archaeological aspects, and landscape.
…5. A description of the likely significant effects of the development on the environment resulting from,
inter alia:
…(f)the impact of the project on climate (for example the nature and magnitude of greenhouse gas
emissions) and the vulnerability of the project to climate change;

5. Pathway to Net Zero by 2050
In parallel in 2019, the Government committed to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions
by 2050
This is a target of 100% reduction on 1990 Greenhouse Gas emission levels
This was not a brand new commitment, as the Government had under the Climate
Change Act 2008 already committed to reduce emissions by 80%
Previously, in 1992, the UK Government had published it’s paper, Climate Change: Our
National Programme for CO2
Net Zero by 2050 is a legally binding commitment.
Whilst the power sector is reducing GHG emissions, the transport sector and in
particular the aviation sector, represent significant challenge to meet this target.

6. The Challenge
How will future EIAs of transport and aviation projects take the Net Zero by 2050
commitment into account and ensure that a proposed project would meet this
commitment?
EIAs will need to demonstrate that a project/ developer is on path to a target consistent
with net zero
This means that as well as taking climate change into account for the design of the
proposed project, each organisation and component involved will need to demonstrate
their own Pathway to Net Zero.
Let’s use the aviation sector and take an EIA of an airport project as an example…
Photo: Wolf’s Fang Runway Antarctica

7. The hypothetical project…
EIA of a Sustainable Airport of the Future
The hypothetical project is an existing airfield with a single runway with a length of 2,800 meters
• It was historically used as a military runway
• Currently the airport can only be accessed by private car
• There is no existing terminal building
• The project will also include the construction of a brand new terminal building
• The airfield operating surfaces (i.e. runway, taxiways, apron) will be completely refurbished and
resurfaced
• The design life of the project is 25 years- 2025-2050
• Public transport access links to the airport will also need to be provided

10. The hypothetical project…
The phases that need to be taken into account for the EIA are:
1) Construction phase: Refurbishment/construction of the all the required airport infrastructure.
The organisations involved with this stage include the contractors, sub-contractors and the supply
chain.
2) Operational phase-Design and operation of airport infrastructure for the design life of the
project. The organisations involved with this stage include the design organisation, the Airport
(developer) and it’s supply chain
3) Operation phase- Design and operation of aircraft as well as airlines operating from Airport.
The organisations involved with this stage include the airlines and aircraft manufacturers
Air transport represents the most significant GHG emissions for an airport project in general. For
example, air transport accounts for over 96% of Heathrow’s GHG emissions, with surface access
transport contributing 3%
(data source Heathrow Airport Non Technical Summary Report, 2019)

11. Break out into groups
In groups, the challenge is to identify what you think are the most important and significant impacts in
relation to greenhouse gases which should be taken into account during an EIA?
What existing technology, policies or tools can help our project to meet the Pathway to Net Zero,
what technology will exist in the future?
Photo: Basler BT 67 Antarctica

12. 1) Construction phase
The construction phase will include the refurbishment/construction
of the airfield operating surfaces (runway ,taxiway, airport) as well
as the construction of the terminal building.
The construction of the (hypothetical) airport project is due to
commence in 2021
During the construction phase, what do you think would be the
most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions given
current construction methodology?
What progress is being made towards Net Zero by 2050 by the
construction industry?

13. 2) Operational phase- Airport Infrastructure
The design life of the project is 25 years (2025-2050)
During the operational phase of the airport
infrastructure, what do you think would be the
most significant contributors to GHG emissions?
What do you think will be the most important
factors to take into account for the design of the
airport infrastructure to reduce GHG emissions?

14. 3) Operational phase- Airline Operators and
Aircraft
The design life of the project is 25 years (2025-
2050)
What technology will exist over this design life
to reduce GHG emissions and meet the Net Zero
by 2050 target?
How do you think aircraft will look and how will
airlines change the way they operate to meet
the Net Zero by 2050 target?

15. Construction phase
Main current impacts of construction
• Asphalt production and concrete production for the construction of the runway and taxiway
• Use of virgin aggregate materials for production of asphalt and concrete
• Transport of aggregates materials to site using Heavy Goods Vehicles which use fossil fuels
• Fossil fuel use in plant and equipment for the production of asphalt and concrete
• Fossil fuel use of other plant and equipment used during construction
• Transport to site of construction staff
• Waste arising from site (e.g. from breaking out of old runway)
• Import of materials for the construction of terminal building
• Transport of construction staff to site as existing public transport does exist at the hypothetical airport
• Sustainability and carbon footprint of materials used in the fabric of the new building
Existing carbon reduction schemes include
• Contractors, sub-contractors and supply chain are likely to meet Streamlined Energy and Carbon (SECR) reporting
and have set/ are setting a Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 target
• Photo: Leo Hillier Photography ©

16. Operational phase- Airport Infrastructure
The development of improved public transport systems to reduce the use of individual vehicles, and improve local air quality, is one of the
key challenges for airports and the local authorities. While 98% of airports indicated that public transport was available, a majority of
airports also reported that less than 20% of their employees actually use it to travel to work. In a separate analysis, on average, 36% of
passengers travelled to airports by public transport in 2018, compared to 43% in 2016
Airport surface access
• The hypothetical airport is currently accessible via private car- public transport link would need to be provided, may need to link with
other EIAs or projects
• Transport of passengers and staff to airport during the operation of the airport
Airport infrastructure
• Aviation fuel -which is required to be transported to airport
• Vehicle fleet/ground transport for the operation of airport
• Energy demand- electricity for operation of terminal building and hangar itself
• Lighting for airfield (AGL) and electricity requirement for lighting runway
• The provision of Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP) and Pre-Conditioned Air (PCA) to aircraft at the airport gate reduces
emissions by allowing the pilot to obtain electricity direct from the local grid and use the airport’s air conditioning system to control the
temperature on board. The aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit, which uses normal jet fuel, can then be kept switched off until just before the
aircraft is ready to depart when it is needed to start the main engines
• Air traffic management- excess GHG emissions caused by flight management and the horizontal en-route flight efficiency
Existing carbon reduction schemes
• Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme
• Accredited Energy and Environmental Management Systems at airports

17. Operational phase- Airline Operators and Aircraft
During the operational phase aircraft emissions /air transport will represent the most significant GHG emissions for the airport
project. For example Heathrow’s current GHG emissions are around 20.8 MtCO2e per year. Air transport accounts for over 96%
of Heathrow’s GHG emissions, with surface access transport contributing 3%.Airline Operators and Aircraft
Existing and future technology of aircraft
• Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)- These can be produced from waste. A number of plants are currently under construction
and current supply is low. Can be blended with traditional aviation fuel (JetA1) and aircraft are already designed to use
• Biofuels-produced from crops, which has other adverse impacts.
• Incremental improvements through design improvements to existing airliners. Ongoing project in Boeing
• Urban electrification of air taxis good for about 75km. Less than ten passengers
• Electrification in regional airliner sized solutions for short haul routes under 1000km with circa 100 passengers. Battery
energy density is nowhere near what is required for large or long-haul routes and is still quite far
• Hybrid airliners with a gas turbine generator charging a battery which in turn powers external fans. Airbus and Rolls Royce
already abandoned this concept.
• Hydrogen power. Quite interesting and has the capability to power 737-sized airliners however requires proportionally large
storage volume for cryogenic propellants in flight while a completely new fuel supply infrastructure is required on the
ground. Safety is a massive issue and the production of hydrogen is carbon intensive. Airbus pursuing this for the moment.
• Ammonia fuel. Passing NH3 over a catalyst will split it into Hydrogen and Nitrogen. Then combust the hydrogen. Exhaust =
water vapor.
Existing carbon reduction schemes include:
• Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
• The EU Emissions Trading System