Inconsistent environmental impact

In public perception climate change is often linked to natural catastrophes such as recent floods in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, or forest fires in countries close to Mediterranean Sea. But there are more subtle events which also have a strong impact.

The graphs below show two examples. First, a change of wind-direction at a FABEC airport. Aircraft take-off and land against the wind for physical reasons. Departures at this airport usually head west but a change in wind direction directly impacts noise distribution to the east. This is compounded by re-routed inbound traffic prior landing.

The second example shows how higher temperatures have led to reduction of snow-induced delay – meaning that aircraft operate without de-icing measures and without producing additional emissions.