Airport industry body claim they are ‘committed’ to net zero

A UK airport industry body claim they are “committed” to net zero via a new pledge.

This morning the Airport Operators Association has signed the “Toulouse Declaration” on Europe-wide aviation decarbonisation on behalf of UK airports alongside European governments as well as UK and European airports, airlines and other aviation and aerospace associations and companies.

UK aviation, including airports, were the first national aviation sector in the world to commit to net zero by 2050 in February 2020.

22 UK airports are now certified under Airport Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme.

The Sustainable Aviation Decarbonisation Road-Map sets out how UK aviation will achieve our net-zero goal, and the AOA Decarbonisation Report set out the role UK airports play in this collective effort, in addition to airports’ own road-maps and plans on how they will achieve net zero for their operations.

Commenting, Airport Operators Association Chief Executive Karen Dee said: “Despite the devastating impact the pandemic has had on UK airports’ finances, airport leaders remain committed to our net-zero emissions by 2050 target.

“As we recover from the pandemic, there is a real opportunity to build back better and return to 2019 passenger levels while reducing environmental impacts.

“Government and industry need to work together to achieve this, with the recent government funding for the next stage of airspace modernisation a step in the right direction. The UK government should use its planned Aviation Strategic Framework to outline how they will further support industry’s efforts.

“The AOA has set out that this should include a Green Airports Fund to help fund sustainability initiatives while airports’ finances recover from the significant losses of the last two years.”