Airports Council International (ACI Europe) has announced that over 500 airports worldwide are now actively engaged in addressing their impact on the climate.
Through a statement issued on May 30, the same authority emphasised that Airport Carbon Accreditation has celebrated its important historical moment in the journey towards the decarbonisation of the airport industry, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
At the same time, ACI Europe said that more than 200 airports are also working to reduce not only the CO2 emissions under their control but also engaging other companies on their site to do the same. Meanwhile, a further 63 airports are offering absolute emissions reductions based on a path aligned with the Paris Agreement target.
The milestone of 500 certified airports was reached thanks to a large number of airports joining the program at all levels of the framework. Thus, among the last airports that will join the Airport Carbon Accreditation are the following:
- Africa: Pierrefonds Airport in La Réunion
- Asia-Pacific: Newcastle Airport in Australia
- Europe: Birmingham Airport in the UK
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico
- North America: Boston Logan International Airport in the United States
Launched in 2009 by ACI EUROPE, the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, with only 17 airports achieving accreditation, has now become the global standard for airport carbon management. It also plays an important role in ensuring the airport industry progresses towards achieving its commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In addition, in October 2020, the aforementioned program decided to expand its framework with the inclusion of two new levels such as Level 4 ‘Transformation’ and Level 4+ ‘Transition’. As a result, a total of 63 airports have managed to be certified at Levels 4/4+.
Since the beginning of 2023 the airports that have managed to be included in Level 4+ are Bangalore International Airport in India, Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, Hawke’s Bay Airport in New Zealand and the ten Portuguese airports managed by VINCI Airports.
As for airports such as Hong Kong International, Brisbane and Newcastle in Australia, they have managed to reach Level 4.
“The collective impact of 500 airports around the world working towards a common goal of carbon reduction is a force to be reckoned with. Accelerating decarbonisation has now become more urgent than ever, against the backdrop of alarming scientific reports flowing from the IPCC and real shifts in the planet’s climate witnessed by us all,” the Manager for Programmes Coordination at the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) pointed out in this regard.
Furthermore, General Director of ACI EUROPE, Oliver Jankovec said that after this excellent success achieved by the growing ambition of airports in all regions of the world, ACI Europe will not stop there as the next frontier for the program will be providing a plan for a net zero carbon airport operation.