Developing airport management practices towards net zero emissions: Experiences from the Australian aviation industry

Emissions from airport sources degrade air quality impacting community health. While some airports assess air pollution, others assess broader environmental effects, including CO₂ emissions and noise. Utilising a transition management approach, this paper examines Australian airport practices and develops key sustainable strategies to reduce environmental impacts. After reviewing environmental policies and reports from eight major airports and conducting in-depth interviews with 18 sustainable aviation experts, five key strategies are proposed: 1) Collaborating data-sharing among stakeholders, including airport operators, ground handlers, airlines and air traffic controllers; 2) Evaluating emissions from aircraft ground idling delays; 3) Advancing in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program; 4) Assessing air pollutant emissions directly emitted from airport sources; 5) Maintaining an air pollutant emissions inventory. Airports should integrate these strategies into their environmental policies to support their long-term sustainable goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.