A PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY FOR EGYPTIAN AIRPORTS AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE ECONOMICS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF JAPANESE AND BRITISH AIRPORTS)

Abstract

Over the past half century, aviation has played a very significant role in the development of the Global economy. It has influenced patterns of trade and migration and supported the development of multi-national political alliances such as the European Union. It has fuelled the growth of the international tourism industry, enabled the global sourcing of goods and services, and promoted mobility for employment and learning. Having contributed to the development of a Global society, it now also plays an important role in maintaining social, family and cultural links in an increasingly disparate world. Current troubles faced by the industry arising from the price of oil and the financial downturn, belie an ongoing growth in demand because in the current economic system, world class city-regions need Global air route networks to support development and remain competitive. The challenge is, however that while these socio-economic benefits are significant, so too are the environmental ‘costs’ and these costs threaten the future growth of the industry at both a local (airport) and global level. Many airports are already subject to operational constraints linked to their environmental impacts, while others fail to gain planning approval for future infrastructure growth, either as a result of the environmental consequences of the development itself or the additional traffic that would arise from it. According to the Strengthen in the Egyptian Environmental Law This should given rise to the concept of airport environmental capacity like Europe. Historically, environmental capacity constraints at airports have been associated with aircraft noise disturbance, accedence’s of local air quality regulatory limits or destruction of sensitive habitats. However some airports are now anticipating challenges to secure adequate supplies of energy and water to meet customer and service partner requirements due to growth, increasing competition from other sectors, and the effects of climate change. Meanwhile at a Global level, climate change and peak oil pose significant new threats to the long term development of the entire air transportation industry and therefore the role it will play in the Global economy/society of the second half of the 21st Century.