Back in 2016, Delhi Airport became the first Carbon Neutral Airport in the Asia Pacific region 2016. The GMR-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has said that it aims to become Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030.
What is ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation?
Airport Carbon Accreditation is the global standard for carbon management in the airport industry. It aims to encourage and enable airports and its stakeholders to implement best practices in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) management and achieve emission reductions. The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme of ACI was launched in 2009. Initially had 4 Levels- “Level 1: Mapping”, “Level 2: Reduction”, “Level 3: Optimisation” and “Level 3+ Neutrality”. Delhi Airport reached “Level 3+, Neutrality” in 2016, as the first Carbon Neutral Airport in Asia Pacific region. This was the highest level of accreditation at that time and DIAL has maintained “Level 3+,
Neutrality” accreditation since then.
In 2020, ACI had revised the program’s Levels and added two new levels, Level 4 (Transformation) and Level 4+ (Transition). These two Levels have been introduced to make the programme objectives in line with Paris Agreement and to limit the increase of global average temperature to 2°C above pre-industrial levels and aim to not exceed 1.5°C. This is also in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recommendations and International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Aviation Climate Change mitigation objectives. Level 4+ encourages airports to reduce their emissions as per the latest scientific developments and meet to stakeholder expectations.
“Achievement of the Level 4+ accreditation is a testimony of our commitment towards ensuring sustainable development at IGIA. Going forward, we will continue to develop best in class infrastructure and provide services using innovative and sustainable technologies. Our aim is to achieve “net zero carbon emission” airport by 2030, following the Airport Carbon Accreditation guidelines. With this achievement, we have set up new benchmark for other airports in this region to follow,” DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said.
