Evaluating the Effects of Airports Activities Using Sustainable Development Concept

Sustainable development means the development of the present generation and simultaneously maintaining resources for the development of the next generations. Sustainability is a complicated concept containing various concepts. In sustainable development there is an interaction between economic, social, and environmental concepts and the most of researchers assess the sustainability under this framework. Sustainable development should provide social development which meets people’s needs, effectively preserve the environment, consume available resources efficiently, and provide sustainable economic development. Aviation industry and airports play a pivotal role in the economic, social, and environmental development of their vicinity. These effects are not limited only to the vicinity of airports and can affect a wide area by providing appropriate infrastructures to trigger new business. Airports are the most important elements of aviation industry. So, the assessment of the economic, social, and environmental effects of their activities is necessary for future planning. In this study, a framework is developed and introduced to assess the effects of airports’ activities based on sustainable development concept.