Heydar Aliyev International Becomes a Carbon Reduction Leader in the Region with New Level 2 Certification

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Heydar Aliyev International Airport has earned the Level 2 (Reduction) Certificate under the global Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, recognizing its significant progress in reducing carbon emissions over the past three years. This achievement underscores Baku Airport’s commitment to sustainable development and reducing its environmental impact.

The ACA program, created by Airports Council International (ACI), is the only dedicated initiative aimed at minimizing carbon emissions at airports worldwide. After completing the initial Mapping stage, Baku Airport has now reached Level 2 (Reduction) by implementing key projects to modernize its lighting, water supply, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. These upgrades have helped further reduce carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating the use of R-22 refrigerant and mercury vapor.

“It’s a proud moment to see Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, the busiest airport in Azerbaijan, becoming the first in the country to join Airport Carbon Accreditation directly at Level 2 Reduction. As the main gateway to be used by delegates attending the forthcoming COP29, their accreditation will reflect on the continuous efforts of the airport industry globally to address its climate impact. Getting certified directly at Level 2 means the airport is actively engaged in driving continued Scope 1 and 2 emissions reductions, contributing to the sustainable future of air transport. Well done to the entire team for this significant achievement!”, said Olivier Jankovec, Director General at ACI EUROPE
“Heydar Aliyev International Airport is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of its operations and making every effort to mitigate any such impact that may occur. In line with the core principles of the ACA program, we aim to advance our environmental initiatives and achieve higher levels of carbon accreditation, thereby contributing to global sustainability goals,” emphasized the Baku airport director, Teymur Hasanov.
The airport’s current sustainability goals include achieving Level 3 carbon accreditation (Optimisation).

At this stage, the airport focuses on optimizing carbon output and actively collaborating with all stakeholders. The ACA program recognizes airports’ efforts to manage and cut carbon emissions through its seven certification levels: Mapping, Reduction, Optimization, Neutrality, Transformation, Transition, and Level 5.