The UK’s Bristol Airport has become the first in Europe to offset all passenger journeys to and from the airport by road.
The carbon offsetting scheme came into effect on January 1, 2020, and forms part of the airport’s Carbon Roadmap. Offsets will be purchased retrospectively based on an annual survey showing the different modes of travel used by passengers.
The Environmental Effects Working Group of the Airport’s Consultative Committee – on which local communities and airport users are represented – will help select suitable offsetting schemes, with a focus on local projects where possible.
James Shearman, head of sustainability at Bristol Airport, said, “This commitment to offset carbon emissions from surface access recognizes that environmental impacts reach beyond the boundary of the airport. With airlines taking steps to reduce and offset carbon emissions it means many customer journeys could be carbon neutral from front door to final destination in 2020.”
In November, easyJet – which operates more than 50% of flights to and from Bristol Airport – became the first major airline to offset carbon emissions from fuel used by its aircraft.
