Over 600 airports accredited under Airport Carbon Accreditation: a new milestone in airport climate action

November 28, 2024

The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme has officially surpassed the milestone of 600 accredited airports worldwide, showcasing airports’ tangible actions and impactful efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.

Over the past 15 years, Airport Carbon Accreditation has provided airports with a robust framework for active carbon management, enabling measurable progress and impactful results. The programme’s success lies in its ability to convert commitments into concrete achievements, offering airports clear and actionable steps to reduce their emissions effectively.

This milestone comes at a time when the urgency for climate action has never been clearer. Airports are playing an active role in the path towards decarbonisation: today, 84 airports worldwide are aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and accredited airports handle over 53% of global passenger traffic. Notably, 18 airports have achieved the programme’s highest certification, Level 5, operating net zero facilities for emissions under their control while actively working towards full decarbonisation by 2050 or earlier.

From smaller regional airports to major global hubs, the diversity of participants highlights meaningful progress within the aviation ecosystem. Whether it’s the solar panels powering Kota Kinabalu Airport in Malaysia, the electric vehicles at Newcastle Airport in the UK, the green terminal buildings of Kisumu International Airport in Kenya, or the Solid Waste Management programme at Rio de Janeiro – Galeão International Airport in Brazil, each accredited airport is contributing measurable results in the global effort to decarbonise.

With every milestone achieved, Airport Carbon Accreditation reinforces its role as a driving force for aviation decarbonisation. As the programme continues to expand, it paves the way for a future where airports drive significant progress towards a sustainable, net zero aviation industry.