ACI EUROPE released its updated NET ZERO Resolution, announcing key progress in airport climate action, with more European airports joining the industry’s 2050 net zero pledge, setting earlier target years, and publicly disclosing their net zero roadmaps.- 314 airports across 36 European countries have now disclosed their roadmap towards net zero by 2050 — 11 more than last year.
- 122 of these airports have set even more ambitious targets, aiming to achieve net zero by 2030 or earlier — four more than last year.
- Collectively, the airports having undersigned the industry’s pledge and submitted their net zero roadmap for publication on ACI EUROPE’s repository facilitate 87% of European air passenger traffic — confirming that a vast majority of Europe’s airports are working towards this shared objective.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism commented: "The airport industry is taking real and determined steps towards making aviation carbon neutral. At this important moment for the aviation sector, airports are showing true leadership by setting bold goals and speeding up the move to more sustainable and resilient air travel. This fits perfectly with the EU’s goals: keeping Europe in the lead on sustainable aviation, encouraging innovation, improving efficiency, and cutting emissions. Airports are not just making promises — they’re taking real action and setting a strong example."
EUROPEAN AIRPORTS EMBRACE TRANSPARENCY IN TRANSITION TO NET ZERO FUTURE
First adopted in 2019, ACI EUROPE’s NET ZERO Resolution1 is reviewed each year, welcoming more airports on board with more ambitious targets, as well as including new stringent requirements to engagement.
In 2023, the Resolution was strengthened by requiring committed airports to publish, within one year, their own roadmap outlining their plans to progress towards achieving net zero emissions under their control. This requirement aimed at aligning with the 2022 UN Guidance on net zero pledges2, which recommends that net zero commitments from non‑State entities should be backed by publicly disclosed and actionable net zero plans.
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| As a result, the publicly available repository on the ACI EUROPE website today features over 100 roadmaps covering 314 airports in 36 countries3, ensuring transparency and accountability in the industry's progress towards its net zero goals.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE said: “Reaffirming our commitment to net zero and making tangible progress towards delivery is more important than ever — considering the latest scientific warnings over climate change and the push back against climate action in some quarters. Europe’s airports are very clear that this is a non‑negotiable imperative that commands our license not just to grow but to keep operating. In all of that, transparency is key — and this growing body of public roadmaps demonstrates our sector’s readiness to act and be held accountable.”
AIRPORT CLIMATE ACTION RESULTS
The concerted climate efforts by the airport industry have been consistently yielding positive results, as evidenced by the growing participation and annual emissions reductions achieved through the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.
Building on a trajectory of continuous evolution and stepping up airport industry’s climate ambitions, ACI moved to introduce a new level of accreditation in December 2023 — Level 54. In a global‑ and industry‑first, this new level established a decarbonisation blueprint, certifying airports for reaching and maintaining a net zero carbon balance for emissions under their control (Scope 1 and 2), and extending mapping, influencing and reporting requirements for all other emissions (Scope 3). Level 5 accredited airports are also required to commit to achieving net zero carbon across all three scopes by 2050. As of now, 17 airports in Europe hold this milestone accreditation5.
To date, 286 European airports are certified for carbon management within Airport Carbon Accreditation. These airports have collectively saved 280,000 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere in the most recent reporting period of the programme (May 2023 — May 2024)6. |
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