Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Göteborg Landvetter Airport and Malmö Airport have entered the ranks of the first ten global airports, and uniquely stand as the sole airports in Northern Europe, to secure the highest certification under the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. This program stands as the global benchmark for climate transition efforts within the airport sphere. Their heightened commitment signifies a comprehensive approach aiming for net-zero carbon dioxide emissions across the entirety of airport operations, encompassing not only Swedavia’s activities but also those of its suppliers and partners. This prestigious certification was bestowed upon Swedavia at a ceremony held during the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai.
Swedavia took a pioneering leap in 2020 by transitioning all ten of its airports to operate free from fossil fuels, marking a groundbreaking accomplishment as the first airport operator worldwide to achieve this feat. The attainment and sustained maintenance of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions within airport operations form the cornerstone of this new certification. Consequently, Malmö Airport and Göteborg Landvetter Airport are committed to ensuring that every facet of their operations, including all procured goods and services, achieves net-zero carbon dioxide emissions no later than 2050.
Jonas Abrahamsson, president and CEO of Swedavia, emphasizes the urgent need to accelerate the climate transition within the transportation sector to align with the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. Acknowledged as a frontrunner in climate initiatives at airports globally, Swedavia’s focus now extends to supporting and imposing expectations on other stakeholders in their value chain. This approach aims to encourage their transition towards innovation and climate-conscious solutions. The recognition of Swedavia’s exceptional climate efforts during COP 28 serves as both a source of pride and motivation to persist in their ambitious endeavors, actively contributing to the much-needed climate transformation within the aviation industry.
Part of the certification entails Swedavia’s commitment to catalog and disclose emissions generated by operators at its airports, extending beyond its own operational emissions. Collaborative efforts with airport partners will lead to the formulation of individual action plans, outlining stringent environmental and climate criteria for any businesses seeking to operate at Swedavia’s airports.
Swedavia’s overarching objective is for all its airports to attain the highest level of ACA certification, with plans for Stockholm Arlanda Airport to achieve this milestone as early as the upcoming year.
Joined by only eight other international airports, Malmö Airport and Göteborg Landvetter Airport hold the distinction of being the sole airports in Northern Europe to acquire the highest level of ACA certification. This momentous recognition was conferred during the COP 28 climate conference in Dubai.
Beyond its internal initiatives targeting airport operations, Swedavia actively spearheads the aviation industry’s transformation. In Sweden, this involves ensuring domestic air travel is fossil-free by 2030 and achieving fossil-free status for all flights departing from Swedish airports no later than 2045.
Key Points about Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA):
The ACA, operating under the Airport Council International (ACI), assesses airports’ endeavors in managing and reducing their carbon dioxide emissions and overall climate impact. The framework comprises seven levels.
ACA 5 (Level 5) necessitates the airport operator to attain zero emissions of climate gases from its own operations (scope 1 and 2), a milestone Swedavia accomplished in 2020. This achievement implies at least a 90% reduction compared to 2010 levels. The remaining 10% will be offset by acquiring carbon offsets through projects that actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as forest growth or carbon capture storage (CCS). Furthermore, a plan must be devised to ensure emissions from the entire value chain reach zero by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Swedavia is on track to achieve this through its partnership plan.
Stockholm Arlanda Airport was among the 17 airports that initially joined the framework in 2009. At the end of 2020, Swedavia became the first airport group globally to attain fossil-free status in its airport operations.
Stockholm Arlanda Airport also holds the distinction of being the inaugural recipient of ACI’s ECO Innovation Award in 2010, an accolade it received again in 2021.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
