Edinburgh Airport achieves global carbon accreditation ACA Level 4

This achievement follows extensive engagement and partnerships with stakeholders, airlines and campus partners; work to map the emissions existing within the airport’s supply chain; and the publication of a new Net Zero strategy.
Work done at the airport to achieve ACA Level 4 included:

• The publication of a Net Zero Strategy setting out the airport’s plans for future sustainable growth and how it can contribute to a net zero world, through an absolute reduction of its direct emissions.
• Working with airlines and airport partners on understanding science-based targets at the airport to achieve a reduction to emissions.
• Mapping to understand and act upon Scope 3 (indirect) emissions through the airport’s supply chain, and the carbon value of goods and services purchased.

All data submitted as part of the process is externally verified and plans are now underway to work towards the next ACA milestone, Level 4+ Transition, in which an airport offsets its remaining carbon emissions with reliable carbon credits.

Edinburgh Airport is now part of VINCI Airports’ network, all of its +70 airports are part of this program, and its ambition is to reach net zero emission for its airports in the European union and UK by 2030. 54 airports operated worldwide by VINCI Airports are already ACA accredited, including four at level 5 which have already reached the net zero emission: Toulon Hyères in France and Beja, Madeira and Ponta Delgada in Portugal.

The ACA is the only institutionally endorsed, global carbon management certification programme for airports. Coordinated by Airports Council International (ACI), it assesses airports’ performance in managing and reducing their carbon footprint using seven levels of certification, the first being that of carbon emissions mapping. At the top of the scale, level 5 certifies an airport’s commitment to achieving and maintaining a reduction of at least 90% in CO2 emissions linked to its own activities (scopes 1 and 2), to removing its residual emissions through certified solutions approved by scientists and the competent authorities, and to implementing actions to help its partners and stakeholders achieve net zero emissions (scope 3) by 2050.

Jessica Briggs, Head of Sustainability at Edinburgh Airport, said:

“This accreditation marks another major milestone as we progress towards Net Zero emissions and build upon the important work already done through our Greater Good sustainability strategy. “We’d like to recognise the role our airlines, campus partners, and suppliers have played in this and thank them for engaging with us as we work to better understand emissions created across our campus and beyond – and look at how we can further reduce these. “Work is already underway and we know that VINCI Airports’ environmental strategy will accelerate our climate transition to achieve higher levels of the Airport Carbon Accreditation by reducing as much as possible our direct emissions, working on the value chain and beyond, whilst supporting carbon removal projects with environmental and social benefits.”