What is Airport Carbon Accreditation?

Eindhoven Airport wishes to become one of the leading airports in Europe in the field of sustainability. This desire has led to setting the concrete target of becoming ‘Airport Carbon Accredited for Carbon Neutrality’ in 2015, by following Airport Carbon Accreditation, an initiative of ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International Europe) for CO2 reduction.

Airport Carbon Accreditation program is an independent label monitored by WSP Environment & Energy, an international consulting agency appointed by ACI EUROPE to ensure that airports comply annually with accreditation criteria. The administration is supervised by an advisory board. Under the Airport Carbon Accreditation, airports must have a CO2 footprint in accordance with ISO14064 (Greenhouse Gas Accounting) that is independently verifiable. Proof of compliance must be submitted to the advisory board, accompanied by all claims regarding CO2 management processes, which must also be independently verified.

Recognition of these efforts is ensured through four levels of accreditation. This step-by-step process encourages airports to reduce their emissions and to achieve the ultimate goal of a CO2-neutral airport. The four levels of accreditation are: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality.

Level 1 Mapping requires:

• Determination of emission sources within the operational limits of the airport, over which the airport itself has control;
  Calculation of the annual CO2 emissions
• A CO2 footprint
• A third party to verify the CO2 footprint

Level 2 Reduction requires:

• Compliance with the requirements of level 1 (Mapping)
• Submitting proof of effective CO2-management procedures
• Demonstration that reduction targets have been achieved

Level 3 Optimisation requires:

• Compliance with the requirements of level 1 (Mapping) and level 2 (Reduction)
• Expanding the CO2 footprint to include the annual emissions of parties in and around the airport
• The involvement of these parties

Level 4 Neutrality requires:

• Compliance with the requirements of level 1 (Mapping), level 2 (Reduction) and level 3 (Optimisation)
• Compensation of the excess emissions within the operational limits of the airport over which the airport itself has control, in order to achieve the goal of a CO2-neutral airport

For more information, please visit: http://www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org/