Europe’s airports welcome global net zero goal for aviation

7 October 2022

Brussels, 07 October 2022: ACI EUROPE has today welcomed ICAO’s announcement of a Long Term Aspirational Goal for global aviation to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The result of the two week long political negotiations aligns international aviation’s climate objective with the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement – as well as with the net zero pledge made by the aviation industry last year.
 
Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “ICAO’s global commitment to aviation’s net zero future is a key milestone for the industry and for the climate. The industry’s ambition is now finally being met at the political level globally. We now need ICAO to urgently work on concrete implementation policies and actions - guiding States across the World towards delivery and supporting the industry in the transition.” 
 
Europe’s airports have long been at the forefront of effective climate mitigation in aviation as the first subsector of the global air transport industry to fully commit to reaching net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. More than 270 airports in the ACI EUROPE network have already individually committed to the net zero 2050 pledge1, representing 75.5% of European air passenger traffic (as per 2019 traffic levels) with nearly 50% of airports who now have even more ambitious net zero targets in their sights.
 
For more than a decade, airports have also been delivering tangible CO2 reductions year after year through Airport Carbon Accreditation. From its launch as a European initiative in 2009, the programme has expanded to its current global span. It is clear that decarbonisation happens at different speeds across world regions and any climate policy framework, if it is to be successful, needs to take into account regional differences in progression.
 
At the European level, the EU institutions are working to accelerate the implementation of the European Green Deal, including proposals on how to reach -55% CO2 emissions by 2030 through the Fit for 55 regulatory package. The European aviation eco-system supports this ambition and is working with the institutions on necessary adjustments to the files2.

 

 

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  • Note to editors

    ACI EUROPE – European airports committing to Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050
     
     
     
    For more information, contact:
     
    Virginia Lee
    Senior Vice President
    Communications, Membership & Marketing
    Tel: +32 2 552 09 82
    Email: virginia.lee@aci-europe.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.