How Cochin International Airport Became India's Champion In Sustainable Energy

One of the prominent challenges of the 21st century is how to make Aviation sustainability a reality in the face of the industry's high global footprints. In this modern world, transportation by air has become a necessary evil as more and more people and industries rely on it, creating a dilemma between the economy and the environment.

The aviation sector, if it were a country, would be one of the top 10 carbon-polluting nations in the world. To put that in perspective, the top 10 countries together emit more than two-thirds of all carbon emitted each year. It is also one of the highest and fastest growing sources of individual emissions. A single international trip taken by one person emits more carbon than someone living in Paraguay for a year.

Ground operations, mainly performed at the airport form a major aspect of the sector. Airports act as the interface between landside access to airspace and airside access to the ground. Further, airports are not just transport hubs anymore, they are full-fledged industrial hubs, becoming bustling centers of businesses, hotels, and other transport connectivity. It is no surprise that areas in and around airports are fast developing and expanding, now being referred to as 'airport metropolises'. This is fast becoming a problem as the emissions from ground operations are researched to be as deadly, if not more as it tends to have an added and more direct impact on the local air quality. Creating sustainable airports, therefore, becomes essential to creating a more sustainable aviation sector.

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