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Airport climate action reaches new milestone in Europe

29 March 2022

Palermo – At the 2022 ACI EUROPE Regional Airports’ Conference and Exhibition taking place in Palermo, the European airport industry marked a key milestone of more than 200 airports engaged in climate action within Airport Carbon Accreditation.

At the latest count, 204 European airports were engaged in climate action at one of the 6 available certification levels of the programme. The latest airports to become accredited in the region are: Catania Fontanarossa (the 200th) at Level 2, Shannon at Level 1, Jersey at Level 1, Newcastle at Level 1 and Brussels South Charleroi at  Level 2.

Having originated in Europe, the region has consistently seen the highest levels of participation in Airport Carbon Accreditation since the programme’s inception in 2009. From the initial 17 accredited airports, the programme has enjoyed robust year-on-year growth. European airports have also topped the ranking of the highest number of airports at the more advanced levels of accreditation – Level 3/3+ and 4/4+, with 77 airports currently holding accreditation at these levels.

Clara de La Torre, Deputy Director General, DG Climate Action, European Commission commented: “The climate emergency remains a top priority despite the other crises on the continent. Europe’s airports’ persistence and exemplary commitment to climate action is all the more noteworthy as the challenges we face right now affect their day-to-day operation and their future deeply. I would like to congratulate airports working their way up through multiple levels of certification under Airport Carbon Accreditation for their work to further decarbonisation of the European aviation sector.”

Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “In these unprecedented times for our region, when positive news can be hard to come by, I am delighted by the progress made by Europe’s airports in addressing their impact on the climate. The past two years have been particularly daunting for our industry and it would have been easy to “postpone” climate action until better times came around. Instead, what we have witnessed is a landslide engagement in Airport Carbon Accreditation, both in terms of new accreditations and upgrades to the most stringent levels of carbon management. Today’s milestone leaves no doubt that European airports are true leaders in decarbonisation, committed to addressing their emissions through thick and thin.”

 

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  • Note to editors

    For more information, contact:

    Agata Lyznik
    Communications Manager, ACI EUROPE
    Tel: +32 2 552 09 89
    Email: agata.lyznik@aci-europe.org

     

    Notes for Editors: 

    Airport Carbon Accreditation is the only institutionally-endorsed, global carbon management certification programme for airports. It independently assesses and recognises the efforts of airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions through 6 levels of certification: ‘Mapping’, ‘Reduction’, ‘Optimisation’, ‘Neutrality’, ‘Transformation’ and ‘Transition’.

    Through its 6 levels of certification, Airport Carbon Accreditation acknowledges that airports are at different stages in their journey towards comprehensive carbon management. It is a programme for airports of all sizes, extending beyond hubs and regional airports with scheduled passenger traffic, to include general aviation and freight-focused airports. 

    Visit www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org

     

    ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International (ACI), the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents over 500 airports in 55 countries. Our members facilitate over 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe. Air transport supports 13.5 million jobs, generating €886 billion in European economic activity (4.4% of GDP). In response to the Climate Emergency, in June 2019 our members committed to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions for operations under their control by 2050, without offsetting.