Europe’s Airports Commit to Net-Zero C02 Emissions by 2050

(Bloomberg) -- Almost 200 airports run by 40 operators backed a pledge for net-zero carbon emissions at European hubs by 2050 as the aviation industry responds to pressure over its contribution to climate change.

Airports Council International also called for the sector to develop additional measures to those set by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. CORSIA has been criticized for allowing carriers to purchase emission units equivalent to their offsetting requirements, rather than focus fully on reducing C02 output.

“Europe’s airports have been leading climate action with annual reductions announced every year for the past decade,” Michael Kerkloh, president of ACI Europe and chief executive officer of Munich airport, said in a statement. “Today’s commitment brings a new dimension to this -- no offsets.”

Some 43 European airports are already carbon neutral, though excluding offsets the number of true net-zero terminals is just three, all smaller airports in Sweden.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Jasper in London at cjasper@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, John Bowker

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.