Introduction Carbon dioxide emissions attributed to the aviation industry within the EU have grown rapidly, even in countries where the sector is seen as already mature. The United Kingdom’s aviation sector is the largest, most mature, yet the fastest expanding source of CO 2 emissions compared to any other industry in the country. In 2011, over 200 million passengers were received in the United Kingdom’s mainland airports. It is anticipated that the number of passengers going through the UK’s mainland airports will rise to 255 million by 2020, and well over 300 by 2030. Nevertheless, the overall potential impact of the industry on the environment has remained difficult to understand due to the uncertainties surrounding it. For instance, Bows and Anderson note that CO 2 emissions by aircraft are well understood and hence easy to compare with various sectors. 1 However, the lack of concrete information and understanding of the atmospheric chemistry behind climate change has resulted in an international reluctance to act on this majorly disturbing problem. This report will elaborate on the various effects of the aviation sector on the environment, particularly, air quality and global warming. The study is founded on the numerous ways by which air travel affects the environment. For instance, besides destroying ecosystems, air pollution has been identified as a contributing factor to global warming. Pollution by the Aviation Industry Aviation is an important part of the UK economy. In addition, the aviation industry supports other important activities such as tourism and import/exports. However, the benefits of a robust aviation sector do not come without a cost. Aircraft and airport ground operations such as airport vehicles release tonnes of emissions into the air every day. Such emissions are then absorbed into the air. As a result, the quality of air has degraded substantially over the years. Poor air quality has a damaging effect on the health of living organisms. This effect can range from slight irritations to severe symptoms depending on the level of pollution. People who suffer from respiratory diseases are likely to experience more pronounced health effects compared to everyone else. To begin with, the pollutants released by aircraft engines include greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other non-CO 2 emissions, for instance, water vapor. These substances have the effect of depleting the ozone layer, the shield responsible for blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun from reaching the earth’s atmosphere. Such radiations have the potential of altering the climate of a country, hence threatening the life of all organisms. As Lee, Pitari, and Grewe explain, CO 2 in the atmosphere traps radiation from the sun, thus preventing it from escaping back into space. 2 As a result, the earth’s atmosphere experiences a net effect of warming, commonly referred to as global warming. CO 2 is the most abundant carbon-containing gas released from aircraft. According to the European Environment Agency, the amount of CO 2 released by aircraft rose from 88 million to 156 million tonnes between 1990 and 2005, a 77% increase. 3 However, recent times have seen improvements in aviation fuels, a situation that has resulted in minimized CO 2 production by aircraft. Ne