Baku, 20 November 2024: On the occasion of the COP29 side‑event co‑hosted by ACI EUROPE and Heydar Aliyev International Airport¹, the global airport industry marked a new milestone on its accelerated journey to decarbonisation. 

More than 600 airports across the globe are now actively engaged in CO₂ management as part of the industry’s carbon standard, Airport Carbon Accreditation. Delegates participating in the 29^th United Nations Climate Change conference in Baku have travelled through an accredited airport, with Heydar Aliyev International Airport being the first airport in the subregion to hold Level 2 certification within the programme.

Opening the event at COP29, Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “Passing the milestone of 600 accredited airports is yet another achievement on our way to fully decarbonise airport operations. Airport Carbon Accreditation has actually been on an uninterrupted upward trend since its inception back in 2009 — when just 17 airports had joined the programme. This speaks volumes about the extent to which airports have been embracing climate action and delivering tangible carbon reductions into the millions of tonnes annually. This ultimately reflects how airports globally are putting sustainability at the core of their business. I warmly congratulate Azerbaijan’s capital airport for joining our climate action community and for being pioneers in their sub‑region”.

“At the same time, we are acutely aware that more needs to be done to address aviation’s overall impact on the climate. As a hard‑to‑abate sector, we need more support from Governments and global institutions in our common quest to become the green transport mode of choice. Airports stand ready to play their part in this transformation”.   

Samir Rzayev, President of Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL), the operator of Baku Airport said: "Receiving the Level 2 certification under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme from Airports Council International is a significant acknowledgment of our efforts in environmental sustainability. We view environmental protection not only as a strategic goal but also as a responsibility to future generations. This achievement motivates us to further enhance our efforts, including reaching the Optimisation level and implementing even more advanced technologies and initiatives in the field of sustainable development”.

FRAMEWORK FOR NET ZERO ACHIEVEMENT — ONE YEAR ON  

The momentum for airport climate action keeps accelerating both in terms of sheer numbers of carbon accredited airports and the level of ambition. Globally, 18 airports today hold Level 5 certification, by operating net zero facilities for emissions under their control whilst pursuing full decarbonisation across upstream and downstream emissions by 2050. The addition of Level 5 to the Airport Carbon Accreditation framework announced at COP28 in Dubai last year pushed the bar of airport carbon management to new heights, constituting the only such industry‑led framework for net zero achievement at global level across all sectors.

Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World commented: “Airports are true to their word on climate action — this fact was again showcased in full force today at COP29. Against a backdrop of a challenging political landscape for climate action, there is a need to collectively reaffirm our direction to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Aviation brings tremendous benefits for our society and economy. Airports and their stakeholders must continue addressing their carbon footprint whilst safeguarding aviation’s unique role in driving prosperity and enhancing resilience to climate impacts. We eagerly look to States around the world to deliver supporting frameworks to make ICAO’s Long‑Term Aspirational Goal achievable”.

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¹ Find out more about the side-event Airport Climate Action Showcase at COP29.