When you consider their massive footprint, their constant state of operation, and the tremendous amount of commerce they support -- all those lights, all that air-conditioning, all those bathrooms -- it's obvious: Airports are among the world's biggest consumers of energy.
To turn its members from environmental polluters to environmental supporters, the airport industry trade association Airports Council International (ACI) has entered into a partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it announced yesterday. Under the terms of the agreement, ACI will support UNFCCC's "Climate Neutral Now" campaign, which promotes environmental sustainability by encouraging individuals, companies, and governments to measure, reduce, and offset their carbon footprints. In return, UNFCCC will support sustainability at airports by joining the advisory board of the Airport Carbon Accreditation, which certifies airports at four different levels for their carbon management efforts: Level 1 (carbon mapping), Level 2 (carbon reduction), Level 3 (carbon optimization), and Level 3+ (carbon neutrality).
"This is a very big moment for ACI and Airport Carbon Accreditation," Angela Gittens, director general of ACI World, and Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, said in a joint statement. "To gain the support of an organization as authoritative as the UNFCCC is something we consider a major achievement and a genuine recognition of the contribution of the airport industry to the climate action through Airport Carbon Accreditation. We are delighted to be partnering with UNFCCC and look forward to their input in the advisory board of the program."
ACI Europe developed and launched the Airport Carbon Accreditation in 2009. Now independently managed and administered by professional services consulting firm WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, the accreditation has since been attained by 137 airports around the world, although only 20 have achieved Level 3+ certification.
As a member of the accreditation's advisory board, UNFCCC will work with ACI to develop a work program and communications plan increasing the number of airports progressing to Levels 3 and 3+ of the certification.
"It is immensely encouraging to see an industry as visible and strategically relevant as the airport industry being so proactive on climate action," said John Kilani, director of UNFCCC's Sustainable Development Mechanisms program. "What ACI has achieved through Airport Carbon Accreditation over the past six years is inspiring -- to mobilize 137 airports in the journey towards carbon neutrality is an example that many other industries could learn from. We count on their support for our Climate Neutral Now campaign and look forward to working with them through this new partnership."