Certifies Airports At Four Different Levels Of Accreditation

In the seven years following the global airport industry’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions there has been an increase in the number of airports that have become part of the industry carbon management initiative, Airport Carbon Accreditation. As the calendar counts down to the climate change negotiations at COP21 in Paris at the end of this year, the airport industry trade body, Airports Council International this week released the annual results for the program covering the period June 2014 to June 2015 – the very first time since it became the global carbon standard for airports.

The program certifies airports at 4 different levels of accreditation covering all stages of carbon management (Mapping, Reduction, Optimization and Neutrality). It is independently administered, institutionally-endorsed and has already won praise from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nation Environment Panel (UNEP) and the European Union (EU).
 
The report reveals that in the past twelve months, Airport Carbon Accredited status has been earned by a total of 125 airports in over 40 countries across the world, an increase of over 22% on the previous year.
 
“These airports are reporting on their carbon management activities every year and they have mobilized on this of their own accord," said Kevin Burke, President and CEO, ACI-North America and Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World in a joint statement. "And it’s not just the bigger hubs like Dubai, Heathrow, Hong Kong, Paris CDG, Istanbul-Atatürk, Seattle-Tacoma, Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Seoul-Incheon and Schiphol – the program has certified a huge number of smaller airports like Eindhoven, Enfidha Hammamet, Farnborough, Hat Yai International, Malmö, Portland-Troutdale and Puerto Vallarta. An impressive 1.7 billion passengers now travel through airports certified at one of the 4 levels of the program – that’s 27.5% of global air passenger traffic. 

"Most promisingly 22 airports advanced up a level of the program - in the past year, making further progress in the way they manage their carbon emissions. In the past year, these airports have succeeded in reducing the CO2 emissions under their direct control by 212,460 metric tons of CO2. That’s equivalent to the annual CO2 sequestered by 1,495 acres of forest.”

FMI: www.airportCO2.org