News about Airport
Carbon Accreditation

Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) operated by Airport International Group has become the first in the Middle East, the second in the ACI Asia-Pacific region and one of only 21 airports worldwide to achieve Level 4+ ‘Transition’ of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. 

QAIA was awarded the certificate following a rigorous review of its carbon management processes, which affirmed alignment with global climate goals to reach a net-zero carbon status by 2050, in addition to its establishment of a road map to reduce CO2 emissions from fuel and electricity consumption and the ongoing responsible compensation of residual CO2 emissions under its control - per the global airport industry’s response to climate change.

TAV Airports has successfully accredited another airport in its international network. Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport in Turkey is now actively addressing its CO2 emissions at Level 1 'Mapping' of Airport Carbon Accreditation. Congratulations!

At their 32nd Annual Congress & General Assembly last week, ACI EUROPE announced the latest upgrades and new accreditations achieved by European airports. A number of these newly upgraded and accredited airports joined a dedicated Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate ceremony on stage.

As the only global programme for reducing airport emissions and the progress made by airports under Airport Carbon Accreditation - the global standard and programme for carbon management at airports - is perhaps the fullest picture of all of airports’ commitment to decarbonisation.

ACI EUROPE announced that eight airports have met all the stringent requirements to become accredited at the highest level of the programme, Level 4+ Transition. From small regional airports in remote Lapland to the busiest airports in the UK and the Netherlands, the eight newcomers to this highest level have fully aligned their carbon management with the Paris Agreement and established effective partnerships with companies operating within their grounds to reduce emissions. The ground is now ready at London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, Eindhoven, Helsinki and 4 Lapland Airports (Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Kuusamo and Ivalo) to further accelerate decarbonisation of their own operations and their partners in line with their commitment to net zero aviation.

The momentum for climate action among European airports is also visible in the surge in new accreditations and upgrades to higher levels. In the past month, five European airports became accredited for the first time. These climate smart airports are: Ibiza in Spain, Carcassonne, Perpignan Rivesaltes, Béziers Cap d'Agde and Pau Pyrenees in France. The latest upgrades were made by Bulgaria’s Sofia (Level 3), Turkey’s Istanbul (Level 3), Spain’s Palma de Mallorca, Alicante Elche and Menorca (Level 2 and 3) and France’s Poitiers Biard and Bordeaux Mérignac (both at Level 2).

Congratulations to all the airports going the extra mile to limit their impact on the climate! 

iGA Istanbul Airport has achieved a great success by raising their Airport Carbon Accreditation level to to Level 3 'Optimisation' all the way from Level 1 'Mapping'.  In line with the stringent requirements of Level 3 certification, the airport has included its scope 3 emissions from the entire airport ecosystem in its carbon management activities.

In order to reduce carbon emissions at İGA Istanbul Airport, remote monitoring and control using IoT (Internet of Things) Technology, monitoring of energy consumption using energy efficiency analysis system software, management of energy from one centre, mechanical automation system applications, and efficient winter cooling practices, actions were taken to reduce carbon emissions, and stakeholder management activities and training programs, and awareness-raising programs have been carried out for all airport employees.

Aiming to reduce carbon emissions, İGA Istanbul Airport continues to meet the requirements of ISO 14064:2018 Greenhouse Gas Calculation and Verification Management System Standard and Airport Carbon Accreditation in order to calculate and report greenhouse gas emissions. İGA Istanbul Airport plans to implement ISO 14064:2018 Greenhouse Gases and Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 4 'Transformation' certifications in the next two years.

Find out more about İGA Istanbul Airport's sustainability efforts here. 

Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Airport, operated by Infraero Brasil, joins the collective climate action movement of airports within Airport Carbon Accreditation!

Santos Dumont Airport took the first step towards comprehensive carbon management by securing Level 1 'Mapping' of the programme. This level is achieved through meticulous analysis of CO2 emissions at the airport site and establishing a plan to reduce them.

Learn more about their commitment and actions here (in Portuguese). 

Sofia Airport's carbon management has achieved an upgrade to Level 3 'Optimisation' within Airport Carbon Accreditation as the first in Bulgaria. This achievement recognises the airport's enhanced CO2-reducing initiatives including working with third parties to influence their climate efforts. 

Find out more about Sofia Airport's carbon management here.  

Congratulations to Libreville Léon M'ba International Airport for having successfully renewed their Level 2 'Reduction' of Airport Carbon Accreditation.

Libreville Airport in Gabon is actively reducing its CO2 emissions within the programme since 2015!

Basel-Mulhouse airport in France/Switzerland, 9 airports in Portugal including Lisbon, and Stockholm Arlanda and Göteborg Landvetter airports in Sweden upgrade to the highest levels of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme

09 May 2022 – The global carbon standard for airports, Airport Carbon Accreditation, has today announced that 12 more airports in Europe have aligned their operational reality with global climate goals. Basel-Mulhouse Airport in France/Switzerland, Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Faro, Flores, Porto Santo, Horta, Santa Maria, Ponta Delgada airports in Portugal, and Stockholm Arlanda and Göteborg Landvetter airports in Sweden have secured upgrades to Levels 4/4+ of the programme. They join a tight list of 14 early adopters globally1, airports that have already made this crucial step enabling deeper carbon cuts since the addition of the new levels in 2020.

Achieving Transformation and Transition

The recently introduced Levels 4 and 4+ of Airport Carbon Accreditation come with a set of stringent requirements. These include alignment of an airport’s carbon management with the Paris Agreement, inclusion of additional emissions sources in an airport’s carbon footprint, notably covering all significant operational emissions from third parties including airlines, and enhanced stakeholder engagement geared towards effective partnerships to deliver emissions reductions.

Requiring airports to align their carbon management strategies and plans with the ambition of the Paris Agreement, according to which global warming should be limited to below 2⁰C and ideally 1.5⁰C, means that airports must define their reduction targets and associated emissions pathways accordingly.

Swedish airports upgrade to Level 4+ ‘Transition’  

Sweden’s two busiest airports, owned and operated by Swedavia, achieved the highest level of the global carbon standard for airports, Level 4+ ‘Transition’. Their accreditation builds on one of the strongest track records of airport climate action in the programme’s history: Stockholm Arlanda Airport was among the 17 pioneering airports which joined Airport Carbon Accreditation in its first year back in 2009. Göteborg Landvetter Airport came on board with the programme just one year later. Notably, both airports joined directly at the then highest level of the framework, Level 3+ ‘Neutrality‘, demonstrating an exceptional level of climate management maturity right from the start.

All Swedavia airports have been operating fossil-free as of 2020, becoming de facto Net Zero carbon emissions for all their operations – a worldwide first. Swedavia has now mapped out the next steps in their commitment to climate change, by supporting other companies and organisations at its airports in their own transformations. Airport Carbon Accreditation provides this additional dimension within the programme framework; as part of Level 4/4+ of Airport Carbon Accreditation, airports are required to develop a comprehensive Stakeholder Partnership Plan with the aim of motivating airport business partners and third parties active at the airport site to reduce their carbon emissions. One of the initiatives put forward by Swedavia’s airports in support of this was the introduction on 1 January 2022 of an incentive for all stakeholders active at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and Göteborg Landvetter Airport to start refuelling HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), fossil-free diesel. The goal is now for all ground operations at every Swedavia airport to be fossil-free by 2025.

Basel-Mulhouse Airport moves to Level 4 ‘Transformation’

Basel-Mulhouse Airport has met all the necessary requirements to upgrade to Level 4 ‘Transformation’, having first joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation at Level 2 back in 2018.

In order to reduce CO2 emissions, EuroAirport, the company operating Basel-Mulhouse airport, is acting on two complementary levels. On the one hand, it is reducing its own CO2 emissions with a binding target. In October 2021, EuroAirport decided to set the Net Zero emissions target for its own infrastructure as early as 2030, instead of 2050. In order to achieve this, the airport is implementing a number of initiatives, such as the purchase of 100% green electricity, the replacement of the airport’s vehicle fleet with electric transportation and the gradual connection of the airport to an existing biomass powered district heating network.

On the other hand, the airport is also committed to reducing emissions across the entire platform in cooperation with its partners. Projects feeding into this goal include the future rail connection to the airport and a cross-company mobility plan that is supported by the French Government.

9 airports in Portugal achieve Level 4 ‘Transformation’

Understanding that climate change represents a global security challenge for humanity, ANA|VINCI Airports  proceeded to develop a rigorous framework to reduce its carbon emissions and to promote the decarbonisation of the broader aviation sector. The climate emergency is the key motivator for the group to accelerate their actions and to work collectively with partners to achieve better environmental results.

Up until now, the 9 Portuguese airports operated by ANA|VINCI Airports have been accredited at Level 2 ‘Reduction’. As a result of great commitment and an ambitious and global environment policy deployed across the entire VINCI Airports network, it was possible for them to upgrade by two levels and secure Level 4. This new level of accreditation means that ANA|VINCI Airports are actively reducing their CO2 emissions, through initiatives such as: 100% renewable electricity, fleet electrification and LED deployment, and forging effective partnerships to secure absolute emissions reductions across the airports’ sites.

To this effect, in June 2021, ANA|VINCI Airports launched the Stakeholders Carbon Forum in order to work with the main partners that operate at their premises to achieve an overall reduction of carbon footprint. The Forum is the main platform of collaboration between the airports and their partners, including airlines, handlers, major energy consumers and entities linked to mobility, such as city councils and transport companies. From this vast variety of stakeholders, dedicated working groups were created to define partnership plans focused on climate change and carbon management. ANA|VINCI Airports assume booster role in this process, in line with their firm belief that only joining efforts and sharing a collaborative path will enable faster and more significant results towards positive mobility.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said: “I am delighted to witness more and more airports reach the two highest levels of Airport Carbon Accreditation. These achievements mean that airports are not only committed to addressing and eliminating emissions under their own control, but that they also embrace their role as catalysts for climate action across their entire sites. Airports are uniquely placed within the air transport eco-system, acting as the industry’s representation on the ground, connecting a global industry to the local communities they serve. This unique position makes it part of their DNA to serve as platforms for greener, smarter, more climate-friendly operations and solutions. I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate all twelve airports on their excellent results.”

1 Full list of Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 4/4+ airports

We are glad to announce that Shannon Airport, Ireland, joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation certification at Level 1 'Mapping'.

Having previously become a signatory on the ACI net zero 2050 pledge, the airport now joins 79 other accredited airports in 15 countries that have been certified for Level 1 – Mapping of the carbon accreditation programme.

The award follows the airport signing up to the groundbreaking Toulouse Declaration in February of this year, which marked the first time that European Governments, the European Commission, industry, unions, and other key stakeholders formally aligned on aviation decarbonisation.

 Read more in the airport's Press Release.

One of the busiest airports in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States has just joined Airport Carbon Accreditation. The airport started off their engagement with the programme at Level 1 'Mapping'. Congratulations!

Scotland's Edinburgh Airport fulfilled all the requirements to upgrade to Level 3 of Airport Carbon Accreditation. Achieving Optimisation means that Edinburgh Airport is not only actively reducing its own CO2 emissions, but also influencing other companies operating at the airport site to address their carbon footprint. Congratulations! 

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) achieved Level 2 'Reduction' of Airport Carbon Accreditation!

Entering the global carbon standard directly at the second level is testament to BSCA's robust environmental policy, based on 8 key areas (air quality, water, noise, energy, soil, waste, mobility and biodiversity).

A number of practical measures have been implemented by BSCA to reach level 2 of the programme, including fitting LED lighting around the site, installing efficient natural gas air conditioning and heating equipment (resulting in a 25% reduction in consumption), installing solar panels on the roof of terminal 2 and electrical connection points for all parked aircraft.

Other projects are already underway and could mean that BSCA will reach level 3 of this accreditation programme by 2023.

Learn more about BSCA's work for the environment here. 

We are delighted to confirm that Luxembourg Airport has met all the requirements to become certified carbon neutral within Airport Carbon Accreditation. The airport has undertaken many CO2-reducing initiatives including the use of 100% renewable electricity across its premises, switching to energy efficient alternatives for lighting and heating, as well as taking a stab at the aeronautical emissions through inclusion of an environmental factor into its airport charges structure.

Congratulations on your well-deserved Level 3+ 'Neutrality' certification!  

Congratulations to Aéroports de Lyon and their business aviation airport - Lyon Bron for joining Airport Carbon Accreditation straight at Level 2 'Reduction'! Lyon-Bron has achieved its first-time accreditation, joining Lyon Airport, which has been carbon neutral since 2017, in the collective carbon action of airports. In addition, Lyon Airports are part of the VINCI Airports group, who are committed to accredit every airport they own and operate! Right now, 53 of their airports are part of the programme and counting. Lyon Bron's direct accreditation at Level 2 is a recognition of their active CO2 reductions under their direct control. Keep up the great work!

Billund Airport is the latest to join Airport Carbon Accreditation! The Danish airport is now part of the global carbon standard for airports at Level 1 'Mapping'. Congratulations to everyone involved!

France's Quimper Bretagne Airport owned and operated by Aéroports Brest Quimper Bretagne has met all the requirements to upgrade to Level 2 'Reduction' of Airport Carbon Accreditation.

This means the airport is now actively reducing carbon emissions within its own remit. Congratulations!

Learn more about their environmental work here. 

The busiest airport in Czech Republic, Václav Havel Prague Airport has just renewed their certification at Level 3 'Optimisation'. At this high level, the airport is actively reducing CO2 emissions under its own control and motivating its business partners to jump start their carbon management as well. Congratulations! 

Find out more about Prague Airport's environmental stewardship here: https://www.prg.aero/en/environment.  

Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées Airport takes further steps in its work to reduce its climate impact! After three years at Level 1 of Airport Carbon Accreditation, the French airport has now met all the requirements to upgrade to Level 2 'Reduction'.

From now on, it's all about active emissions reduction!

ACI launches the Airport Carbon Accreditation Annual Report 2019-2021 revealing robust performance in all world regions

07 February 2022 - ACI (Airports Council International) has today published the brand new Airport Carbon Accreditation Annual Report, covering the period May 2019 to May 20211. The publication marks a welcome resumption of yearly reports showcasing the results and developments in the global carbon standard for airports, Airport Carbon Accreditation, following the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Build Back Better in action

The Report points to healthy participation growth across all world regions in Years 11 (May 2019 to May 2020) and 12 (May 2020 to May 2021) of the programme, which have been merged into one single reporting period to help airports accommodate the challenging pandemic context. By the end of the reporting period, 304 airports were accredited globally, up from 274 airports in Year 10, illustrating the extent of the airport industry’s readiness to decarbonise in the toughest of conditions. Their collective efforts yielded tangible results, with airports accredited in Years 11 and 12 bringing about a reduction of 347,718 tonnes of CO2 (-5.5%) within the emissions under direct control of airport operators (i.e. Scope 1 and 2 as per GHG Protocol).

Looking beyond the specific timeline of the Report, taking the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 up to the present day, 93 airports have become accredited for the first time and another 61 have progressed to a higher level of the programme2. This upward trend is tangible evidence of airports actively investing to Build Back Better in spite of being severely hit by the ongoing pandemic.

Airport Carbon Accreditation, having completed its 12th year, is not only growing but also evolving. At the height of the pandemic, in July 2020, the programme passed the milestone of 300 accredited airports worldwide. When it comes to programme developments, in November 2020, Airport Carbon Accreditation introduced the first major, structural change to the programme since its inception back in 2009. Two new accreditation levels – Level 4 Transformation and Level 4+ Transition – were launched, bringing the programme in line with the latest scientific and policy developments.

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commented: “Despite the systemic disruption wreaked on the airport industry by the ongoing pandemic, the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme kept on growing and making steps to strengthen its framework with the addition of new levels, aligning its ambition with global climate goals. Industry-led initiatives, such as ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation, are crucial to support the realisation of the Paris Agreement.”

Toulouse Declaration sets the scene for accelerated decarbonisation

The Report’s launch came on the heels of significant developments in the European region. On Friday, 4 February, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union convened their aviation summit in and from Toulouse, France to discuss the future of European aviation and in particular its path to decarbonisation. The Summit marks the adoption of a landmark Declaration on future sustainability and decarbonisation of aviation, supporting European aviation’s goal to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This Declaration was formally endorsed by ACI EUROPE as well as by 249 European airports3.

Since Airport Carbon Accreditation’s launch in 2009, the continent’s airports have been worldwide and industrywide pioneers of climate action. From a tight group of 17 airports joining the programme in its first year, today the number of accredited airports in Europe is nearing the 200 milestone. Their commitment can also be measured by their continued pursuit of higher levels of accreditation. Notably for the location of Friday's Aviation Summit, Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is one of the latest airports to achieve Level 3+ Neutrality4, followed closely by Luxembourg Airport.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said: “Airports have long been at the forefront of climate action within the aviation industry, delivering tangible emissions reductions year by year. At this pivotal time for our industry, ravaged by the unprecedented devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and galvanised in the face of the impending Climate Emergency, I am extremely proud to see European airports upping the ante on their engagement in climate action within Airport Carbon Accreditation. Our region now counts close to 200 accredited airports – an excellent achievement and an example to follow in terms of building the collective momentum for carbon reduction. In addition, their overwhelming endorsement of the Toulouse Declaration is another case in point of their undiminished commitment to decarbonisation. Now more than ever, we need all stakeholders to understand what is at stake and help our industry transform itself in line with its ambitious goals.”

1 Download the Airport Carbon Accreditation Annual Report here

2 View the latest participation results on the programme website: www.airportco2.org 

3 Access the list of European airports endorsing the Toulouse Declaration on the dedicated webpage: https://www.aci-europe.org/toulouse-declaration  

4 Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is carbon neutral – link

Toulouse-Blagnac Airport has met all the necessary requirements to upgrade to Level 3+ 'Neutrality' of Airport Carbon Accreditation. Over 10 years of the airport's engagement within the programme, Toulouse-Blagnac has reduced its gross carbon emissions by 42%, which constitutes an excellent achievement!

Several projects have contributed to this result: buying electricity from 100% guaranteed renewable sources since 2015, energy renovation of buildings (lighting, insulation, air conditioning and heating production and management system), and reducing the fleet of service vehicles and replacing them with electric vehicles.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Learn more here.