King Khalid International Airport leads the way in Net Zero Roadmap pilot programme

April 3, 2025

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operated by Riyadh Airports, has taken an important step in its decarbonisation journey by becoming the first airport in the region to undergo an onsite assessment under ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s Net Zero Roadmap pilot programme.

Following an agreement signed in October 2024 with Riyadh Airports Company, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, alongside its appointed World Business Partner To70, conducted a three-day in-depth assessment from 21–23 January 2025. The expert team carried out interactive workshops, stakeholder engagements, site visits, and executive interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of the airport’s environmental landscape.

With this critical phase now complete, the next step is the development of a tailor-made net zero roadmap for King Khalid International Airport. Expected within three months, the roadmap will provide structured recommendations covering carbon footprint projections, governance frameworks, and targeted strategies across assets, fuels, and operations. Key deliverables will include recommended measures, pathways to net zero, high-level CAPEX planning, and an implementation timeline.

King Khalid International Airport, currently accredited at Level 4, first joined the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme in January 2022.

The Net Zero Roadmap programme is designed as an on-demand service that complements the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, providing airports with a structured and actionable plan towards achieving Level 5 of the framework. With King Khalid International Airport leading the way, this initiative sets a strong precedent for airports across the region to accelerate their decarbonisation efforts.