Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Europe’s fourth busiest airport, has achieved carbon neutrality.
The achievement was announced at this year’s Global Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva, reports Air Traffic Management.
Olivier Jankovec, director general of airports industry organisation ACI EUROPE, said: "It shows what can be done in less than five years, when carbon dioxide emissions reduction is deemed a top priority and embedded in corporate culture."
There are now 96 airports certified in four continents under the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme. Launched in Europe in June 2009, Airport Carbon Accreditation expanded to Asia-Pacific in November 2011 and Africa in June 2013.
The institutionally endorsed programme independently assesses and recognises airports’ efforts to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions. It certifies airports at four different levels of accreditation (mapping, reduction, optimisation and neutrality).
Activities undertaken by airport operators to reduce their emissions, include investments in heating and lighting efficiency technology, electric, hybrid or gas-powered vehicles, public transport incentive schemes and less corporate travel. Airports implementing programmes such as Airport-Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) and Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) also help engage others to lower their emissions on the airport site.
In Europe, the last months have seen the first time accreditations of Venice Airport, Treviso Airport, Naples Airport and Groningen Airport Eelde, leading to a total of 80 European airports certified under the accreditation scheme.
