T&E Report: Singapore's Green Hub Ambitions at Risk: Changi Airport Among World's Highest-Emitting as Asia-Pacific Leads Global Aviation Pollution

SINGAPORE, May 18 (Bernama) -- Singapore has set its sights on becoming Asia's leading hub for sustainable finance and next-generation aviation fuels. However, new data released today tells a more complicated story. Singapore Changi Airport ranked 9th among the world's most carbon-intensive airports in 2023, generating 14.3 million tonnes of CO₂ — equivalent to the emissions produced by more than 20 coal-fired power stations.

The findings come from the 2026 Airport Tracker, published today by ODI Global in partnership with T&E (Transport & Environment), and are based on data provided by the ICCT. The tracker covers 1,300 airports worldwide and reveals that Asia-Pacific has overtaken all other regions to become the largest contributor to aviation emissions, accounting for 32% of global aviation CO₂ — more than Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa combined. Globally, just 100 airports are responsible for approximately two-thirds of total passenger flight emissions. Furthermore, fewer than 2.3% of airports have a credible net-zero Scope 3 emissions plan — the category covering over 90% of an airport's actual climate footprint.