Determination of personal carbon footprint in aviation and tourism axis: Cappadocia Airport case

Abstract

Global average temperatures are increasing in direct proportion to the increase in carbon dioxide. A significant part of this increase comprises the aviation and tourism sectors. In particular, the rapid growth of the aviation industry and its relationship with tourism development constitutes an indispensable problem for the future in the fight against the climate crisis. In this study, it has been revealed that the aviation industry is not innocent at all regarding the climate crisis when combined with tourism. The study examined flights’ average personal carbon footprint to Cappadocia Airport between 2016 and 2019. The Cappadocia region stands out because it is an important tourism region of Turkey and is located right in the middle of Turkey. In the review, 2019 was the period with the highest emissions of 27,464.08 tons CO2. On the other hand, 2017 was the year that emitted the least, with 8121.29 tons CO2. The personal carbon footprint from total flights was 61,951 kg CO2. While the individual carbon footprint was the highest in 2016 with 70,617 kg CO2, 2019 was the year with the lowest personal carbon footprint with 56,419 kg CO2. As a result, while there is a direct proportion between the number of flights and the total increase in carbon dioxide, the personal carbon footprint has changed according to the number of passengers. Transportation preferences should be reviewed considering the location of the Cappadocia region and Turkey’s transportation policy.