When embarking on a sustainability program, it is critical for each airport to determine its specific definition of sustainability. This is an important step that establishes the groundwork for future planning and implementation.

An airport operator’s definition of sustainability should relate to its unique circumstances and role within its community and environment. As such, SAGA encourages airport operators to obtain input and involvement from various stakeholders as it begins to define sustainability. Such involvement creates airport-wide commitment to the mission of the sustainability program and will facilitate the successful development and implementation of sustainable airport practices. 

As airports consider their unique definition to sustainability, SAGA recommends that they be transparent in selecting a definition.  Deviations from the available definitions which incorporate a local need should be documented. 

There are many ways to define sustainability. A broad, generally-accepted definition is one developed in 1983 by the Brundtland Commission, which states that sustainability is:

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The Brundtland Commission, also known as the World Commission on Environment and Development, was convened by the United Nations (UN) to address a growing concern “about the accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources and the consequences of that deterioration for economic and social development.” In establishing the commission, the UN General Assembly recognized that environmental problems were global in nature and determined that it was in the common interest of nations to establish policies for sustainable development. The exponential growth in the world’s population requires the implementation of global resource management to ensure that resources are available for future generations.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has adopted the Brundtland Commission’s definition.  GRI has developed protocols for the development of sustainability plans and is currently developing an airport sector specific protocol.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB), in its 2005 conference proceedings titled  “Integrating Sustainability into the Transportation Planning Process,” envisioned sustainability at its most basic level as “one that meets the transportation and other needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Synthesis Report S02-02, Airport Sustainability Practices, defines airport sustainability as “a broad term that encompasses a wide variety of practices applicable to the management of airports.” The report refers to practices that ensure:

• Protection of the environment, including conservation of natural resources.
• Social progress that recognizes the needs of all stakeholders.
• Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.

Overall, SAGA recommends that the airport operator should determine what sustainability means to that specific organization or the individual facility, taking into account the unique nature of the airport and its community. That said, it is generally accepted that sustainability includes essential elements under the “Triple Bottom Line” – Economic Growth, Social Responsibility and Environmental Stewardship. The tenets of the Triple Bottom Line are often incorporated into sustainability definitions and programs.

The Airports Council International-North America’s Airport Sustainability Committee takes this approach one step further by incorporating operations. It defines airport sustainability as:

“A holistic approach to managing an airport so as to ensure the integrity of the Economic viability, Operational efficiency, Natural Resource Conservation and Social responsibility (EONS) of the airport.”

EONS is the acronym for the four functional parts completing the whole for holistic airport management by taking the economic, ecological and social components and adding operational efficiency. Whereas the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (USGBC LEED®) “green” initiatives have, in recent years, typified sustainability for the design and construction of new or rehabilitation of existing facilities, EONS broadens the definition to address the operational aspects of the business.

For some airports, broadening the definition to include the business of managing an airport may be particularly important because while not all airport operators can or need to build new facilities, all have opportunities within their business models to leverage their operations and maintenance (O&M) dollars in ways that can promote sustainability.

Overall, as airports undertake an effort to define sustainability and initiate a program, the rationale for undertaking this effort must be understood by those responsible for the development and operations activities.  Stakeholders should include executive management, airport staff, airport boards, county commissioners, tenants, and the community as a whole.