Climate change could make departures louder for residents near UK airports, study says

Climate change is set to make flights departing from major UK airports louder for people on the ground, according to a University of Reading study. The researchers modeled a warmer atmosphere and its impact on takeoff noise across 30 European airports, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City, as well as Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam Schiphol, Lisbon Portela and Zurich. The study focused on the Airbus A320 and used climate projections for June, July and August to estimate how climb angles would change in a warmer climate.

On average, climb angles are projected to decrease by one to three percent, with hotter days reducing climbs by up to 7.5 percent. Warmer, less dense air reduces lift, forcing aircraft to stay closer to the ground after takeoff and increasing the audible presence of engine noise for nearby communities. The researchers measured the 50 decibel footprint used to mark when aircraft noise becomes more noticeable to residents, and they found the footprint could expand as temperatures rise.

The study estimated that the number of people affected by noise pollution could increase by up to four per cent by 2050. In central London, about 60,000 residents currently live within the typical 50 dB footprint of a departing A320 aircraft; by 2050, roughly 2,500 more people could be drawn inside that boundary.

Low-frequency noise, which travels further and can be more persistent and intrusive, is expected to rise the most as climate change unfolds. "Over the next three decades, thousands of extra people in London could be blighted by noise pollution caused by climate change," said Dr Jonny Williams, the study’s lead author at the University of Reading. "The problem gets worse with different types of sound too... deeper sounds are particularly annoying to human ears and can cause stress and sleep problems."

The researchers noted that reducing greenhouse gas emissions would help curb the problem, even as engine technology advances. "Without action on greenhouse gas emissions, rising temperatures will make managing the problem of airport noise more difficult," Williams added. Dr Williams also noted that this study is the first peer-reviewed effort to quantify how climate change could increase noise pollution for residents near airports. A separate line of the work has previously shown that a warming atmosphere could alter the jet stream and contribute to more turbulence, with potential safety implications for aviation.

Professor Paul Williams, also with the University of Reading and a co-author of the study, warned of unwelcome consequences for those living near airports. "Together with increased turbulence and more airport flooding, we can now add noisier flights to the growing list of ways climate change is affecting aviation," he said. The researchers also stressed that the findings reinforce the importance of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate a range of climate-related impacts on air travel and nearby communities.