Airports Council International (ACI) World has welcomed the Airport Carbon Accreditation Interim Report 2019-2020, which reveals the latest results of and developments in global carbon standards for airports.
The report reveals robust participation growth across all regions, illustrating the extent of the airport industry’s readiness to decarbonize even in the toughest of conditions. Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, 34 airports have become accredited for the first time and another 31 have progressed to a higher level of the program. This trend is set to continue in 2021, driven by the enduring leadership of airports in CO2 management and reduction.
However, as the financial situation faced by airports across the world deteriorates rapidly, ACI notes that the necessary investments to cut carbon are weighed against survival. This will be a factor of concern for further decarbonization in the sector and should be considered as one of the grounds for urgent government aid.
ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira commented, “Even as the impacts and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have devastated passenger traffic and revenue at airports across the world, it is very heartening to see airports continue their commitment to decarbonization. The industry is further demonstrating that efforts to address the climate emergency cannot wait for the pandemic to end and I commend the 334 airports actively addressing their carbon emissions in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program.”