San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has won a 2020 Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management.
Also at the 2020 Climate Leadership Conference, Brendan Reed, the Airport Authority’s director of planning and environmental affairs, received an Individual Leadership award for his efforts in environmental operations and strategies.
The Climate Leadership Conference and Awards bring together forward-thinking leaders from business, government, academia and the non-profit community to address climate change through policy, innovation and business solutions. Awardees are honored for exemplary corporate, organizational and individual leadership in reducing carbon pollution and addressing climate change.
“It’s an honor to have the Airport Authority as well as our leadership recognized at this year’s Climate Leadership Conference and Awards,” said Kim Becker, president and CEO of the Airport Authority. “The Airport Authority is committed to sustainable business practices and works closely with community, stakeholders and employees to address and limit environmental concerns at the airport.”
“Planning for long-term prosperity means accounting for climate impacts and a decarbonized economy,” said Bob Perciasepe, president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). “The only way to take advantage of the clean energy transition is to be clear-eyed about climate challenges. San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has demonstrated outstanding leadership in this and will be ahead of the game in the clean energy economy.”
The 2020 Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management was awarded to the Airport Authority for the following efforts: setting a goal of reducing direct and indirect emissions by 80% from 2015 to 2035; achieving a 44% decrease in direct and indirect emissions by 2018; and developing strategies to reduce emissions from rideshare fleets by using cleaner fuels, introducing cars with a higher mpg rating, and utilizing more carpooling/ridesharing.
The Airport Authority was also honored for replacing individual rental car company shuttles with Authority-owned rental car shuttles, reducing both emissions and the number of vehicle trips; investing in renewable energy by installing 5.5MW of on-site solar PV panels at the airport, meeting 15% of electricity demand and planning a 2MW battery storage system for 2020; and committing to converting approximately 80% of ground-support equipment to alternative fuels by 2024, as well as supplying adequate EV charging facilities.
Brendan Reed’s work was highlighted for his leadership on initiatives such as the development of a climate resilience plan and The Good Traveler program, which helps travelers offset their flights, while helping fund carbon reduction projects around the USA.