Airport Carbon Accreditation is a global carbon management programme for airports that independently assesses and recognises airports' efforts to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions. Aircraft emissions, which are many times greater than airport emissions, are not included in the programme. The airport industry accounts for 5% of the air transport sector’s total carbon emissions.[1]
The programme was launched by European airports' trade body ACI EUROPE at their Annual Congress in June 2009.[2] It is independently administered by Environmental Minds,[3] an international consultancy firm. The programme provides airports with a common framework for active carbon management with measurable goal-posts. Individual airport carbon footprints are independently verified in accordance with ISO 14064 (Greenhouse Gas Accounting) on the basis of supporting evidence. Claims regarding airports' carbon management processes are also independently verified by a group of 117 independent verifiers,[4] based in 36 countries.
Levels
Level 1: Mapping
To achieve Level 1 accreditation, an airport must meet the following qualifications:
Be able to determine ‘operational boundary’ and the emissions sources within that boundary which are Scope 1 and Scope 2 sources, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.[5] The operational boundary in the context of carbon accounting defined the manner in which the airport measures and manages its GHG emissions.[6]
Be able to collect and process data and calculate the annual carbon emissions for those sources.
For airports, ACERT, the Airport Carbon and Emissions Reporting Tool, which provided by ACI World, is free of charge to its members and is usually what is used to generate a carbon footprint report.[5]
Level 2: Reduction
To achieve Level 2 accreditation, an airport must meet the following qualifications:
Meet all above requirements.
Implement target setting procedures and provide evidence of carbon management procedures that are effective.
Reduce the carbon footprint by comparing the current year report to prior years.[7]
Carbon management is a broad topic and includes the following processes:
Low carbon/energy policies
Senior committee or body has responsibility for climate change/carbon/energy matters
Fuel and energy monitoring
Carbon/energy reduction targets
Actions, programs or control mechanisms to ensure operations minimize emissions
Emissions impact of investments are analyzed
Awareness training about emissions
Self-assessment and Auditing to monitor progress towards improvements
To achieve Level 4 accreditation, an airport must meet the following qualifications:
Meet all above requirements.
Policy commitment to absolute emissions reduction.
Form a long-term absolute carbon emissions reduction target.
The target amount and date shall be aligned with the IPCC 1.5°C or 2°C pathways
Carbon Management Plan development with targets. Each airport shall define its trajectory to achieve its carbon emissions reduction target as well as the actions it expects to implement to remain on that trajectory.
Stakeholder Partnership Plan development. The plan shall demonstrate that the airport actively drives third parties at the airport towards delivering emissions reductions themselves via their own reduction plans or through measures initiated by the airport operator.[10]
Level 4+: Transition
To achieve Level 4+ accreditation, an airport must meet the following qualifications:
Meet all above requirements.
Offset remaining Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions and emissions from staff business travel using internationally recognized offset.[11]
Level 5: Topmost Level of Airport Carbon Accreditation
To achieve Level 5 accreditation, an airport must meet the following qualifications:
Submit a verified carbon footprint for Scope 1 and 2 emissions and all relevant categories of Scope 3 emissions as per requirements of the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Guidance
Reach and maintain ≥ 90% absolute CO2 emissions reductions in Scope 1 and 2, and commit to Net Zero in Scope 3 by 2050 or sooner.
Credible carbon removals for the residual emissions are applied.
Carbon Management Plan (CMP) fully developed outlining the steps to achieve emissions targets.
Stakeholder Partnership Plan is fully developed to achieve Net Zero for Scope 3 emissions by engaging with the value chain and actively drive third parties at the airport towards delivering emissions reductions themselves with regular milestones in line with their sectors Net Zero frameworks and commitments.[12]
In addition to European Commission participation on the Advisory Board, the then European Commission Vice President responsible for Transport Siim Kallas has strongly supported the scheme, participating in the presentation of accreditation certificates at several European Airports, including Charles de Gaulle, Orly, Brussels and Budapest Airports. He has also stated that he believes the initiative "is playing a crucial role in helping move European aviation onto a more sustainable footing."[15]
Global use
The programme has expanded beyond Europe on 30 November 2011, having been formally extended to the Asia-Pacific region at ACI Airport Exchange conference in Abu Dhabi, organised by ACI ASIA-PACIFIC.[16] The first airport to become accredited within this region was Abu Dhabi International Airport which achieved 'Mapping' level.[17] Since then, 38 airports from the region joined the community of accredited airports. The programme was further extended with the African region of ACI joining the community in June 2013.[18] The launch of Airport Carbon Accreditation in Africa was coupled with the official certification of the first African airport to the programme, Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport in Tunisia,[19] which was certified at the 'Mapping' level. In June 2014, at ACI EUROPE's Annual Congress in Frankfurt the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme celebrated two important milestones in its story: its 5th anniversary together with crossing the threshold of 100 airports participating in the programme.[20]
Shortly thereafter, in fall 2014, the programme became global,[21] with its official launch in North America, followed by its introduction in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. Having already achieved significant results in 5 continents, the launch of Airport Carbon Accreditation in this region, in partnership with ACI Latin America & the Caribbean, marked the decisive moment when the programme became the global standard for carbon management at airports.
In 2015, a new interactive website, www.airportco2.org,[1] was launched at the end of Year 6 of Airport Carbon Accreditation – the year of the global expansion of the programme. This microsite was created to promote the programme in more accessible language and to communicate the annual results achieved by participating airports. It continues to present key figures from the programme, both globally and per region, in a more visual and engaging way.
At Paris Sustainable Innovation Forum (COP21)
The COP21 Conference in Paris in December 2015 was an important milestone for the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. On the occasion of its presentation at the Conference, the European airport industry committed to increasing the number of carbon neutral airports to 50 by 2030.[22] Following the announcement of this commitment, ACI EUROPE and the carbon standard Airport Carbon Accreditation signed a partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), at a special side event.[23] The partnership agreement committed ACI to supporting the UNFCCC's 'Climate Neutral Now'[24] campaign, while the UNFCCC would support airport climate action at airports, with a particular focus on carbon management by airports through Airport Carbon Accreditation. The organisations agreed also to develop a common work programme and communications plan promoting carbon neutrality at airports.
European airports commit to 100 carbon neutral airports by 2030
The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme has gathered a number of notable climate-action awards. In 2013, the programme reached Top 3 in the World You Like[26] competition,[27] a contest in which businesses, NGOs and local authorities can participate by showcasing their climate-friendly solutions, run by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action. The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme was chosen out of 269 low carbon projects in Europe – and the only transport project in the Top 3. It was recognised as an efficient and innovative climate solution that is making a real difference in helping airports address their CO2 emissions. In May 2014, the airport industry's efforts to address its carbon emissions received the Highly Commended prize at the annual global International Transport Forum (ITF) Awards issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).[28] The voluntary climate change initiative Airport Carbon Accreditation was named as one of two runners-up for the ITF's Transport Achievement Award.
Only a month later, in June 2015, the animation "Life is about Movement",[29] created to highlight the essence of the programme, was awarded the Gold Totem prize in the "Businesses & Eco-Performances" category at the 4th Deauville Green Awards 2015.
In 2016, Airport Carbon Accreditation was featured in the first ever European Aviation Environmental Report,[30] published by the European Commission, in very positive terms as one of the innovative initiatives of the airport industry to tackle environmental challenges.
Current state
As of 2017, 192 airports across the world are certified at one of the four levels of Airport Carbon Accreditation. These airports handle 2.7 billion passengers a year, 38.4% of global air passenger traffic. 35 airports are carbon neutral – the latest to reach this level was Helsinki Airport. There are now 28 carbon neutral airports in Europe, 5 in Asia, 1 in North America and 1 in Africa.
Europe
As of June 2025, there are 286 airports in Europe with Carbon Accreditation.[31]
There are 98 airports in Europe with Level 2 Accreditation.[31] Turkey and France make up the majority of Level 2 Accredited airports with 43 and 24, respectively.[31]
There are 21 airports in Europe with Level 3+ Accreditation.[31] The United Kingdom and Italy make up nearly half of these (48%) with 6 and 4 airports, respectively, with Level 2 Accreditation in Europe.[31]
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Airport emissions have been reduced by 55,633 tonnes of CO2 in Year 1 of the programme and 55,501 tonnes in Year 2, and 77,782 tonnes in Year 3 as a result. Year 4 of the programme had a CO2 reduction of 110,003 tonnes - enough to power 45,949 households for a year.[citation needed]
If 31,894 cars were removed from the roads for one year, it would enable a reduction close to the one achieved by Airport Carbon Accreditation's participants in Year 5.[citation needed]
From July 2014 to June 2015, the programme has allowed a reduction comparable to the annual CO2 sequestered by 1,496 acres of forest. [citation needed]We could have powered almost twice as many households as compared to the year 4 result in the sixth consecutive year of the programme. Following years are bound to beat these figures, with a number of accredited airports at high levels rising.[35]
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