Social and Economic Impacts of the Air Transport Industry: a MRIO Approach
This thesis aims to contribute to this emerging field by providing a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic and environmental relevance of aviation in the European context, as well as the potential implications of climate-oriented regulatory interventions. The objective is to assess not only the intrinsic importance of the air transport sector, but also the significance of the activities that are directly dependent on it. Thus, given the sector’s integral role in trade, tourism, and regional development, understanding the consequences of decarbonization pathways is essential for ensuring a just and effective green transition. Similarly, the assessment of legislative proposals should adopt a holistic perspective in order to capture their full range of economic, environmental, and social impacts. To guide this analysis, the research is structured around the following key questions:
1. What is the economic and environmental significance of the air transport sector in Central European economies, particularly in terms of value added, employment, and associated pressures such as greenhouse gas emissions? (Addressed in Chapter 1)
2. What policy measures aimed at reducing aviation-related emissions are being implemented or proposed, especially within the European Union context? (Explored in Chapter 2)
3. Focusing on short-haul flight bans, what are the expected socio-economic and environmental impacts of such policies, especially in the cases of France and Spain? How do substitution effects and behavioural changes influence the outcomes? (Analysed in Chapters 3 and 4)
These questions constitute the core foundation of the thesis, structuring its analytical framework and shaping the development of each chapter.
This thesis aims to contribute to this emerging field by providing a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic and environmental relevance of aviation in the European context, as well as the potential implications of climate-oriented regulatory interventions. The objective is to assess not only the intrinsic importance of the air transport sector, but also the significance of the activities that are directly dependent on it. Thus, given the sector’s integral role in trade, tourism, and regional development, understanding the consequences of decarbonization pathways is essential for ensuring a just and effective green transition. Similarly, the assessment of legislative proposals should adopt a holistic perspective in order to capture their full range of economic, environmental, and social impacts. To guide this analysis, the research is structured around the following key questions:
1. What is the economic and environmental significance of the air transport sector in Central European economies, particularly in terms of value added, employment, and associated pressures such as greenhouse gas emissions? (Addressed in Chapter 1)
2. What policy measures aimed at reducing aviation-related emissions are being implemented or proposed, especially within the European Union context? (Explored in Chapter 2)
3. Focusing on short-haul flight bans, what are the expected socio-economic and environmental impacts of such policies, especially in the cases of France and Spain? How do substitution effects and behavioural changes influence the outcomes? (Analysed in Chapters 3 and 4)
These questions constitute the core foundation of the thesis, structuring its analytical framework and shaping the development of each chapter.