Airport Council International Europe

In 2008, Airport Council International Europe adopted a resolution on climate change when its member airports committed to reduce carbon emissions from their operations, with the ultimate goal of becoming carbon neutral. This initiative resulted in the establishment of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), a programme allowing the assessment and recognition of participating airports’ efforts to manage and reduce their CO₂ emissions. 

ISO14064 

Airports applying to become accredited must have their carbon footprints independently verified in accordance with ISO14064 (greenhouse gas accounting). Airports can address their CO2 emissions in a variety of ways, such as by adopting energy efficiency measures, switching to green energy sources, investing in hybrid, electric or gas-powered service vehicles, encouraging employees, passengers and visitors to use public transport, working with airlines and air traffic management to reduce runway taxiing times and implement green landing processes. 

 The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme is structure around 4 levels of certification: 

1. Mapping, 
2. Reduction, 
3. Optimization,
4. Neutral. 

There are currently 10 airports in Africa certified at one of the four levels of the Airport Carbon Accreditation, 41 in Asia-Pacific, 118 in Europe, 8 in Latin-America and the Caribbean and 34 in North America. 

Ms. Gittens, Director General, Airports Council International said

“An impressive 3.2 billion air passengers now travel through airports certified at one of the four levels of Airport Carbon Accreditation – a testament to how much the programme has helped mobilize airport operators towards addressing their carbon footprints” 

Geneva airport and Galapagos Ecological Airport recently became carbon neutral. Galapagos Ecological Airport has received certification at Level 3+ Neutrality as the first airport in Latin America and the Caribbean.