Environmental Efficiency of Global Airports: Integrating Emission Reduction and Waste Recycling Performance

Abstract

This study evaluated the environmental efficiency and sustainability performance of ten airports operating on a global scale using two different data envelopment analyses within the output-oriented BCC model framework and under the variable returns to scale (VRS) assumption. The first model evaluated airports based on their Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions and waste quantities, while the second analysis focused on waste quantities and recycling rates. Overall, the findings revealed that scale sensitivity is a determining factor in airport sustainability. Additionally, it was concluded that capacity planning and technological transformation investments should also be prioritized to improve environmental performance. In this context, advanced chemical recycling investments in recycling technologies, green chemistry-based applications in waste conversion systems, and the integration of circular economy-focused recovery processes should be incorporated into the sustainability strategy. By offering a comprehensive approach that evaluates environmental and operational indicators together, the study provides a methodological contribution to the assessment of environmental efficiency and sustainability in the aviation sector.

Keywords

• Sustainability
• efficiency
• data envelopment analysis
• airport
• waste recycling

References

1. Airports Council International. Top 20 Busiest Airports in the World. ACI. https://aci.aero/2024/07/16/top-20-busiest-airports-in-the-world-confirmed-by-aci-world/
2. Alharasees, O., Kale, U., Rohacs, J., & Rohacs, D. (2024). Enhancing sustainability in aviation: AHP analysis and smart energy concept. International Journal of Global Warming, 33(1), Article 138104, 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJGW.2024.138104
3. Arjomandi, A., & Seufert, J. H. (2014). An evaluation of the world's major airlines' technical and environmental performance. Economic Modelling, 41, 133-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2014.05.002
4. Banker, R. D., Charnes, A., & Cooper, W. W [W. W.] (1984). Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis. Management Science (30), Article 9. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2631725
5. Chang, Y.‑T., Park, H., Jeong, J., & Lee, J. (2014). Evaluating economic and environmental efficiency of global airlines: A SBM-DEA approach. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 27, 46-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2013.12.013
6. Charnes, A., Cooper, W. W [W. W.], & Rhodes, E. (1978). Measuring the efficiency of decision making units. European Journal of Operational Research, 2(6), 429-444. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(78)90138-8
7. Coelli, T. J., Rao, D. P., O’Donnell, C. J., & Battese, G. E. (2005). An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Analysis. Springer-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/b136381
8. Cooper, W. W [William W.], Seiford, L. M., & Zhu, J. (2011). Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis (Vol. 164). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6151-8

9. Cui, Q. (2019). Investigating the airlines emission reduction through carbon trading under CNG2020 strategy via a Network Weak Disposability DEA. Energy, 180, 763–771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.159
10. Da Queiroz Júnior, H. S., Celestino, M. A. d. S., Falcão, V. A., Da Silva, F. G. F., Andrade, M. d. O., & Brasileiro, A. (2024). Evaluating sustainable efficiency: A study on transportation systems in South America using data envelopment analysis. Latin American Transport Studies, 2, 100012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.latran.2024.100012
11. Domingos, M. C. d. F., Arantes Gomes, R. de, Da Queiroz, H. S., & Falcão, V. A. (2025). Unlocking efficiency and environmental impact: Analyzing concessioned Brazilian airports. Journal of Air Transport Management, 124, 102754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2025.102754
12. Dyckhoff, H., & Allen, K. (2001). Measuring ecological efficiency with data envelopment analysis (DEA). European Journal of Operational Research, 132(2), 312-325. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(00)00154-5
13. El Zein, M., Karimipanah, T., & Ameen, A. (2025). Airports-Energy and Sustainability Perspectives. Energies, 18(6), 1360. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061360
14. Emrouznejad, A., & Thanassoulis, E. (2005). A mathematical model for dynamic efficiency using data envelopment analysis. Applied Mathematics and Computation, 160(2), 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amc.2003.09.026
15. Fare, R., Grosskopf, S., & Lovell, C. A. K. (1994). Production Frontiers. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511551710
16. Färe, R., Grosskopf, S., & Lovell, C. A. K. (1985). The measurement of efficiency of production. Studies in productivity analysis. Kluwer-Nijhoff Pub.; Distributors for North America Kluwer Academic Publishers.
17. Färe, R., Grosskopf, S., & Tyteca, D. (1996). An activity analysis model of the environmental performance of firms—application to fossil-fuel-fired electric utilities. Ecological Economics, 18(2), 161–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/0921-8009(96)00019-5
18. Graham, B., & Guyer, C. (1999). Environmental sustainability, airport capacity and European air transport liberalization: irreconcilable goals? Journal of Transport Geography, 7(3), 165–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0966-6923(99)00005-8
19. Greer, F., Rakas, J., & Horvath, A. (2020). Airports and environmental sustainability: a comprehensive review. Environmental Research Letters, 15(10), 103007. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abb42a
20. Güner, S. (2021). Ground-level aircraft operations as a measure of sustainable airport efficiency: A weight-restricted DEA approach. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 9(2), 939–949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2021.04.013
21. Hu, R., Huang, M., Zhang, J., & Witlox, F. (2023). On the Matthew effect in a multi-airport system: Evidence from the viewpoint of airport green efficiency. Journal of Air Transport Management, 106, 102304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2022.102304
22. IATA. (2021). Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050. https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pressroom-archive/2021-releases/2021-10-04-03/.
23. ICAO. (2022a). Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). ICAO. https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/States-adopts-netzero-2050-aspirational-goal-for-international-flight-operations.aspx
24. ICAO. (2022b). Resolution A41-21: Consolidated statement of continuing ICAO policies and practices related to environmental protection — Climate change. ICAO. ICAO. https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/Resolution_A41-21_Climate_change.pdf.
25. İzgi, Ç., Yavuz Akinci, V., & Parlak, U. (2025). Turizm, Ekonomik Büyüme ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Arasındaki Dengenin Karbon Emisyonları Bağlamında İncelenmesi: Türkiye’de ARDL Uygulaması. Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi(40), 396–419. https://doi.org/10.54600/igdirsosbilder.1663464
26. Morelli, J. (2011). Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals. Journal of Environmental Sustainability, 1(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.14448/jes.01.0002
27. Naciti, V., Cesaroni, F., & Pulejo, L. (2022). Corporate governance and sustainability: a review of the existing literature. Journal of Management and Governance, 26(1), 55–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-020-09554-6
28. Ngo, T.‑T., Wang, C.‑N., & Yang, C.‑C. (2025). A comprehensive evaluation of the sustainable efficiency of Vietnamese airports. Utilities Policy, 97, 102074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2025.102074
29. Olsthoorn, X. (2001). Carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation: 1950–2050. Journal of Air Transport Management, 7(2), 87–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0969-6997(00)00031-4
30. Saini, A., Truong, D., & Pan, J. Y. (2023). Airline efficiency and environmental impacts – Data envelopment analysis. International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology, 12(2), 335–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijtst.2022.02.005
31. Sellner, R., & Nagl, P. (2010). Air accessibility and growth – The economic effects of a capacity expansion at Vienna International Airport. Journal of Air Transport Management, 16(6), 325–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2010.04.003
32. Tam, M. K. C., Ferrer Marti, I., Loo, S. C. J., Kamkar, M., Subramaniam, B., Moores, A., Licence, P., & Serrano, J. F. (2023). Combating Threats to Water, Air and Soil, Our Precious Natural Resources. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 11(43), 15503–15505. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c06395
33. Thacker, S., Adshead, D., Fay, M., Hallegatte, S., Harvey, M., Meller, H., O’Regan, N., Rozenberg, J., Watkins, G., & Hall, J. W. (2019). Infrastructure for sustainable development. Nature Sustainability, 2(4), 324–331. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0256-8
34. UNFCCC. (2015). Decision 1/CP.21. Adoption of the Paris Agreement. FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1. UNFCCC. https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/10a01.pdf#page=2
35. Voltes-Dorta, A., Britto, R., & Wilson, B. (2024). Efficiency of global airlines incorporating sustainability objectives: A Malmquist-DEA approach. Journal of Air Transport Management, 119, 102634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2024.102634
36. Wensveen, J. (2023). Air Transportation. London: Routledge.
37. Zhou, P., Ang, B. W., & Poh, K. L. (2008). A survey of data envelopment analysis in energy and environmental studies. European Journal of Operational Research, 189(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.04.042
38. Zhou, Y. (2022). Low-carbon transition in smart city with sustainable airport energy ecosystems and hydrogen-based renewable-grid-storage-flexibility. Energy Reviews, 1(1), 100001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enrev.2022.100001