Airport News
Swedavia has announced that it has become the world’s first national airport group to achieve carbon neutrality across its suite of 10 airports.
In order to attain the ‘neutrality’ certification within Airport Carbon Accreditation, the Swedish airport operator has had to reduce CO2 emissions at each of the airports, engage others at the airports to reduce CO2 and purchase carbon offsets for any remaining CO2 emissions under its control.
Olivier Jankovec, director general ACI EUROPE, commented, “Over the past three years, Airport Carbon Accreditation has seen a number of breakthroughs, but today’s announcement is a very big moment. Four years ago, European airports committed to reducing their carbon emissions with the ultimate goal of becoming carbon neutral. A short time later, Stockholm-Arlanda became the very first carbon neutral airport, leading for the way for others. Today, Swedavia’s entire airport group has achieved that, becoming very first carbon neutral national airport group.
“Airports are complicated spaces, with many partners working together, but somebody has to lead. For an airport group the size of Swedavia to have achieved ‘neutrality’ at each of its airports is no small feat. This is not just a major achievement within the airport industry. It is a substantial example of how an airport group can lead by example for other businesses beyond aviation.”
Torborg Chetkovich, CEO, Swedavia AB, added, “Today’s achievement is an important acknowledgement that we operate resource efficient airports. At the end of the day, this means that we are able to make the most of our capacity as well as offering our customers more opportunities in order to develop airline connections to, from and within Sweden.”
Initially launched in Europe in June 2009, the independent, institutionally endorsed voluntary programme Airport Carbon Accreditation certifies airport at one of four available levels of certification (‘mapping’, ‘reduction’, ‘optimisation’ and ‘neutrality’).
Currently 67 airports welcoming over 53% of European passenger traffic each year are now Airport Carbon Accredited. In November 2011, the programme expanded to the Asia-Pacific region and five airports in this region are already accredited.
Other European airports that have achieved ‘neutrality’ include Avinor’s Oslo and Trondheim in Norway, and Malpensa and Linate airports, which are operated by regional airport group SEA Milan Airports.
