Airports worldwide are celebrated for collectively reducing over one million tonnes of CO2, and more than half of the world’s passengers travel through an Airport Carbon-Accredited Airport.
Airports Council International (ACI) has released the annual results on carbon performance and participation trends for its global carbon management standard for airports, Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA). The report spans the period from May 2023 through to May 2024, with the number of accredited airports rising to 558 across 87 countries during that period. Seventy airports joined the programme for the first time, while 132 progressed to a higher level of carbon management.
“With science leaving no doubt over the fact that global warming is accelerating and that climate action must remain a top priority, it is heartening to see that reducing carbon has truly become embedded in airport management across the globe,” said Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe’s Director General.
ACA’s seven levels of certification acknowledge that airports are at different stages in their journey towards comprehensive carbon management. The programme is applicable to all sized airports and extends beyond airports serving commercial passenger traffic to general aviation and freight-focused airports.
At the end of the reporting period, 15 airports had achieved the highest Level 5 accreditation, having reached net zero for scope 1 and 2 emissions (those under their control), and committed to full decarbonisation across all scopes by 2050.
Jankovec also explained that this was also the first full reporting period featuring the newly established Level 5, which certifies airports that have achieved net zero for emissions from sources under their control. “Fifteen airports globally held this accreditation at the end of the period – demonstrating step change in climate leadership,” he confirmed.
