ACI Europe has released the Airport Carbon Accreditation Annual Report 2021-2022 at Passenger Terminal Expo 2023, with European airports emerging as the standout stars.
Originating in Europe in 2009, the Airport Carbon Accreditation program has consistently reported robust growth in the participation of European airports. In the period covered by the newly published report, European airports outperformed global growth with a 32% increase in participation, reaching 204 accredited airports at the end of the program year (May 2021-May 2022). This momentum has accelerated despite the ongoing Covid-19 recovery in Europe during the period covered.
Europe has the highest number of airports at the more advanced levels of accreditation – Levels 3+ (Neutrality) and 4/4+ (Transformation/Transition), which require airports to align their carbon management and reduction trajectories with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The report also reveals that European airports have outperformed the global average in carbon performance, registering an 11.9% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions compared with the global reduction of 8.1%.
Kurt Vandenberghe, director general of climate action at the European Commission, commented, “It is important that all parts of the economy take action to tackle climate change and reduce their emissions. We welcome that airports are proactive in reducing their own emissions. Airports acting to reduce their climate impacts are showing outstanding action from their place within a sector that will only become more and more visible in terms of its impacts on climate change. I congratulate ACI Europe on the momentum they have achieved – a credible industry-led climate change initiative that began in Europe, and that has now expanded to bring broader action from airports across the globe.”
Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, said, “Against a challenging backdrop of a stop-start Covid-19 recovery and volatile operating environment, I am delighted by the ongoing momentum for airport climate action demonstrated in the results published today. European airports are leaders in carbon management globally, leaving no stone unturned in the effort to rid their infrastructure and operations of carbon, in line with the global climate goals and the ambitious climate agenda spearheaded by the EU.”
To find out more about ACI, visit Booth 1785.
