Bibliometric Analysis of Sustainability in Civil Aviation

Abstract

As air travel has become a crucial part of modern life, concerns about its environmental impact, economic sustainability, and social responsibility have significantly grown. Sustainability in this context refers to the delicate balance between current needs and future aspirations, taking into consideration environmental, economic, and social factors. The aviation industry is a substantial contributor to worldwide carbon emissions, and its ongoing growth poses a threat to exacerbate climate change. But it also has a crucial role in promoting economic growth and global connectivity. Achieving a balance between these competing interests necessitates a collaborative approach involving governments, industry stakeholders, academia and the general public. The sustainability viewpoint in the aviation sector, as well as the research carried out in this field, is of great significance in advancing the sector. The objective of this research is to identify and analyze publications regarding sustainability in the aviation sector within the SSCI and SCI-Exp databases. Suggestions for future research are proposed. The study includes a bibliometric analysis of 123 scientific articles published between 2001 and 2023. The findings reveal significant trends, influential authors and leading institutions in aviation sustainability research whilst also identifying gaps in the literature. Keyword analysis revealed recurring themes such as energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and life cycle assessment. These findings highlight the aviation industry's increasing dedication to sustainability and the necessity for further research and practical measures to ensure a more environmentally sustainable future for civil aviation.

Keywords

• aviation
• sustainability
• aircraft
• energy
• civil aviation

References

1. Airport Council International (ACI). (2023). Airport Sustainability. https://www.aci-europe.org/industry- topics/industry-topics/28-airport-sustainability.html
2. Amaeshi, K. M., & Crane, A. (2006). Stakeholder engagement: A mechanism for sustainable aviation. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 13(5), 245–260.
3. Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975.
4. Becken, S., & Patterson, M. (2006). Measuring National Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Tourism as a Key Step Towards Achieving Sustainable Tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(4), 323–338.
5. Bettley, A., & Burnley, S. (2008). Towards Sustainable Operations Management Integrating Sustainability Management into Operations Management Strategies and Practices. In K. B. Misra (Ed.), Handbook of Performability Engineering (pp. 875–904). Springer London.
6. Bieger, T., & Wittmer, A. (2006). Air transport and tourism—Perspectives and challenges for destinations, airlines and governments. Journal of Air Transport Management, 12(1), 40–46.
7. Boca Santa, S. L., Ribeiro, J. M. P., Mazon, G., Schneider, J., Barcelos, R. L., & Guerra, J. B. S. O. D. A. (2020). A Green Airport model: Proposition based on social and environmental management systems. Sustainable Cities and Society, 59, 102160.
8. BOEING. (2020). BOEING 787 DREAMLINER. https://www.boeing.com/commercial/787/

9. Costas, R., & Bordons, M. (2008). Is g-Index Better than h-Index? An Exploratory Study at the Individual Level. Scientometrics, 77(2), 267–288.
10. Darnhofer, I., Fairweather, J., & Moller, H. (2010). Assessing a farm’s sustainability: Insights from resilience thinking. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 8(3), 186–198.
11. Engqvist, L., & Frommen, J. G. (2008). The h-Index and Self-Citations. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 23(5), 250– 252.
12. EPA. (n.d.). Regulations for Emissions from Aircraft. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from Regulations for Emissions from Aircraft
13. Gössling, S., Humpe, A., & Bausch, T. (2020). Does ‘flight shame’ affect social norms? Changing perspectives on the desirability of air travel in Germany. Journal of Cleaner Production, 266, 122015.
14. Guler, A. T., Waaijer, C. J. F., Mohammed, Y., & Palmblad, M. (2016). Automating bibliometric analyses using Taverna scientific workflows: A tutorial on integrating Web Services. Journal of Informetrics, 10(3), 830–841.
15. Gureyev, V. N., & Mazov, N. A. (2013). Detection of Information Requirements of Researchers Using Bibliometric Analyses to Identify Target Journals. Information Technology and Libraries, 32(4), 66.
16. Hirsch, J. E. (2005). An index to Quantify an Individual’s Scientific Research Output. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(46), 16569–16572.
17. IATA. (n.d.). Developing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.iata.org/en/programs/environment/sustainable-aviation-fuels/
18. IATA. (2021). Offsetting CO2 Emissions with CORSIA. International Air Transport Association (IATA)
19. ICAO. (n.d.). Strategic Objectives. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.icao.int/about- icao/Council/Pages/ Strategic-Objectives.aspx
20. ICAO. (2023). Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/ CORSIA/Pages/default.aspx
21. Kazemi, M. Z., Elamer, A. A., Theodosopoulos, G., & Khatib, S. F. (2023). Reinvigorating research on sustainability reporting in the construction industry: a systematic review and future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 167, 114145.
22. Kılıç, M., Uyar, A., & Karaman, A. S. (2019). What impacts sustainability reporting in the global aviation industry? An institutional perspective. Transport Policy, 79, 54–65.
23. Kucukyilmaz A., & Torum O. (2009). Sustainability Management in Aviation: A Survey of Sustainability Practices for Airports in Turkiye. Journal of Aviation and Space Technologies, 4(2), 47-58.
24. McManners, P. (2016). The action research case study approach: A methodology for complex challenges such as sustainability in aviation. Action Research, 14(2), 201–216.
25. Ng, K. S., Farooq, D., & Yang, A. (2021). Global biorenewable development strategies for sustainable aviation fuel production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 150, 111502.
26. Ranjbari, M., Shams Esfandabadi, Z., Zanetti, M. C., Scagnelli, S. D., Siebers, P.-O., Aghbashlo, M., Peng, W., Quatraro, F., & Tabatabaei, M. (2021). Three pillars of sustainability in the wake of COVID-19: A systematic review and future research agenda for sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 297, 126660.
27. Scheelhaase, J. D., & Grimme, W. G. (2007). Emissions trading for international aviation—An estimation of the economic impact on selected European airlines. Journal of Air Transport Management, 13(5), 253–263.
28. Scoones, I. (2007). Sustainability. Development in Practice, 17(4–5), 589–596.
29. Teo, P. (2002). Striking a Balance for Sustainable Tourism: Implications of the Discourse on Globalisation. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 10(6), 459–474.
30. Timmis, A. J., Hodzic, A., Koh, L., Bonner, M., Soutis, C., Schäfer, A. W., & Dray, L. (2015). Environmental impact assessment of aviation emission reduction through the implementation of composite materials. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 20(2), 233–243.
31. Tristanto, T. A., Nugraha, N., Waspada, I., Mayasari, M., & Kurniati, P. S. (2023). Sustainability performance impact of corporate performance in Indonesia banking. Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research (JEECAR), 10(4), 668-678.
32. Von Bohlen Und Halbach, O. (2011). How to judge a book by its cover? How useful are bibliometric indices for the evaluation of “scientific quality” or “scientific productivity”? Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger, 193(3), 191–196.
33. Wang, G., Li, Y., Zuo, J., Hu, W., Nie, Q., & Lei, H. (2021). Who drives green innovations? Characteristics and policy implications for green building collaborative innovation networks in China. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 143, 110875.
34. Zia, S., Rahman, M. U., Noor, M. H., Khan, M. K., Bibi, M., Godil, D. I., Quddoos, M. U., & Anser, M. K. (2021). Striving towards environmental sustainability: How natural resources, human capital, financial development, and economic growth interact with ecological footprint in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(37), 52499–52513.
35. Zieba, M., & Johansson, E. (2022). Sustainability reporting in the airline industry: Current literature and future research avenues. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 102, 103133.