For immediate release                                              7 October 2016

Brussels, 7 October 2016: European airport trade body ACI EUROPE reacted this morning with enthusiasm to the landmark agreement reached yesterday at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on a global Market Based Measure (MBM) addressing airlines’ carbon emissions. The resulting carbon offsetting and reduction scheme will be a key element to effectively addressing the impact of aviation on climate change, in addition to efficiency improvements in technology, operations and infrastructure - both in the air and on the ground.   

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE commented “Yesterday was a good day for aviation and for our planet. After 6 years of intense negotiations amongst ICAO’s 191 Member States, this historic agreement opens a new chapter, finally putting global aviation in a condition to march towards carbon neutral growth - as a first step. But yesterday was actually also a good day for Europe. The EU has played a leading role in achieving this result, ensuring wider pan-European alignment with all ECAC States and sparing no effort to reach out and convince other nations to back the agreement.”

He added “For their part, Europe’s airports will continue to play their part

in reducing their own carbon emissions, working through Airport Carbon Accreditation* – the global airport industry carbon management standard supported by the UNFCCC and ICAO. Across our continent, 113 airports are now certified under the programme, and they collectively account for an impressive 66% of European passenger traffic. So far, 24 of these airports are carbon neutral – and ACI EUROPE firmly committed at COP 21 last December to raise that number to 50 by 2030.”

ENDS

* To find out more about Airport Carbon Accreditation, visit www.airportCO2.org

For more information, contact:

Robert O’Meara, Director, Media & Communications, ACI EUROPE

mobile: +32 (0)486 54 14 71 or tel: +32 (0)2 552 09 82.

Email: robert.omeara@aci-europe.org

ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International (ACI), the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents over 500 airports in 45 European countries. In 2014, our member airports handled over 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe, welcoming more than 1.8 billion passengers, 18.4 million tonnes of freight and 21.2 million aircraft movements. These airports contribute to the employment of 12.3 million people, generating €675 billion each year (4.1%) of GDP in Europe.

EVERY FLIGHT BEGINS AT THE AIRPORT.