Airports clean up their act with carbon accreditation

The number of airports that have achieved Airport Carbon Accredited status has increased by 22% during the last year.
Figures released by Airports Council International show that a total of 125 airports in 40 countries have now achieved accreditation through the organisation’s programme, with 26 locations becoming Carbon Accredited since June last year.
The accreditation, which was launched in 2009, covers four stages of carbon management; mapping, reduction, optimisation and neutrality.
As well as 26 new airports achieving accreditation, 14 airports advanced from mapping to reduction, four airports went from reduction to optimisation and four airports reached neutrality.
ACI Asia-Pacific regional director Patti Chau said: “These airports are reporting on their carbon management activities every year and they have mobilised on this of their own accord.
“It’s not just the bigger hubs like Dubai, Heathrow, Hong Kong, Paris CDG, Istanbul-Atatürk, Seattle-Tacoma, Seoul-Incheon and Schiphol – the programme has certified a huge number of smaller airports like Eindhoven, Enfidha Hammamet, Farnborough, Hat Yai International, Malmö, Portland-Troutdale and Puerto Vallarta.
“Most promisingly 22 airports advanced up a level of the programme in the past year, making further progress in the way they manage their carbon emissions.
“In the past year, these airports have succeeded in reducing the CO2 emissions under their direct control by 212,460 tonnes of CO2.”
In total, six airports are certified in North America, 92 in Europe, 25 in Asia, one in Africa, and one airport in Latin America, South America and the Caribbean.