TAF PUBLISHING

The ASEAN region is affected by many climate-change inducing factors such as Forest Fires, Transboundary Haze Pollution, and Forest Degradation. However, within the next few years there may be one more significant contributor in making the ASEAN region vulnerable to climate-change–Air Transportation. Air Traffic Demand in the ASEAN region is growing tremendously. It is expected that air traffic in the region will triple by the year 2033, thus, posing the need for reduction of Green House Gas emissions from aircraft to reduce air pollution. This paper highlights the estimated amount of key air pollutants such as NO_X and CO₂ emitted in the ASEAN region due to current air traffic demand and the potential benefits of free route airspace implementation in the region. The environmental emissions were estimated using System for Traffic Assignment and Analysis at a Macroscopic Level (SAAM) tool. A simplified version of EUROCONTROL’s Advanced Emission Model was adopted for estimating the environmental emissions. This paper also discusses future ATM technologies that may be implemented in the ASEAN region, which could support the feasibility of the Free Route Airspace Concept in the region.