On the occasion of the COP29 side‑event co‑hosted by ACI EUROPE and Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the global airport industry marked a new milestone on its accelerated journey to decarbonisation. 

More than 600 airports across the globe are now actively engaged in CO2 management as part of the industry’s carbon standard, Airport Carbon Accreditation. Delegates participating in the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference in Baku have travelled through an accredited airport, with Heydar Aliyev International Airport being the first airport in the subregion to hold Level 2 certification within the programme.

Framework for net zero achievement—one year on

The momentum for airport climate action keeps accelerating both in terms of sheer numbers of carbon accredited airports and the level of ambition. Globally, 18 airports today hold Level 5 certification, by operating net zero facilities for emissions under their control whilst pursuing full decarbonisation across upstream and downstream emissions by 2050. The addition of Level 5 to the Airport Carbon Accreditation framework announced at COP28 in Dubai last year pushed the bar of airport carbon management to new heights, constituting the only such industry‑led framework for net zero achievement at global level across all sectors.