Edinburgh Airport has achieved Level 4 ‘Transformation’ in the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, becoming the first airport in Scotland to receive global carbon accreditation.
The ACA, coordinated by the Airports Council International (ACI), assesses the performance of airports in managing and reducing their carbon footprint through seven certification levels. Level 1 recognizes the mapping of carbon emissions, while Level 5 certifies an airport’s commitment to achieving a 90 percent reduction in carbon emissions.
To achieve this status, the airport published a net zero strategy setting out plans for future sustainable growth, worked with airlines and airport partners to understand science-based carbon reduction targets, and outlined how to respond to Scope 3 (indirect) emissions through the airport’s supply chain and the carbon value of goods and services purchased.
Edinburgh Airport has been part of the VINCI Airports network since June 2024, where all 70+ member airports participate in the ACA program. VINCI has set itself the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2030 for its airports in the EU and the UK, and 54 VINCI airports worldwide have already achieved ACA accreditation. Toulon Hyères in France, Beja in Madeira and Ponta Delgada in Portugal have achieved ACA Level 5.
“This accreditation marks another important milestone in our journey to net zero emissions and builds on the important work we have already done as part of our Greater Good sustainability strategy,” said Jessica Briggs, Head of Sustainability at Edinburgh Airport. “We want to recognise the role our airlines, campus partners and suppliers have played in this and thank them for working with us to better understand emissions on our campus and beyond – and look at how we can reduce them further.”
The airport is now aiming to move to Level 4+, which requires it to offset its remaining carbon dioxide emissions through reliable carbon credits.
Briggs added: “Work is already underway and we know that VINCI Airports’ environmental strategy will accelerate our climate transition to achieve higher levels of Airport Carbon Accreditation by reducing our direct emissions as much as possible, working up and down the value chain, while supporting carbon removal projects with environmental and social benefits.”
Photo: Vinci Airports
