Low Carbon Strategy: Bordeaux Airport takes another step forward

For several years, Bordeaux Airport has been committed to concrete decarbonisation actions, becoming in 2022 the first French airport with over 1 million passengers to permanently provide sustainable biofuels to airlines.

Since 2019, emissions directly attributable to airport management activities have been reduced by 10% thanks to the implementation of an energy conservation plan (optimised control of heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems, load shedding of car park lighting).

For 2027, the objective of the Airport Carbon Accreditation decarbonization strategy is to achieve a 26% reduction in emissions for the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport Company through three key measures:

• Heating: replacing gas with geothermal energy and thermally insulating buildings,
• Vehicles: replacing combustion-engine vehicles with electric and/or hybrid vehicles,
• Energy: installing photovoltaic shading, and improving energy efficiency.

The airport is targeting carbon neutrality through offsetting efforts by 2030.

Achieving the level 3 certification of the ACA, titled 'Optimization,' seven months before the expiration of its level 2 certificate, confirms the airport company's commitment to addressing the challenge of climate change.

This level confirms that Bordeaux Airport:

• Has been reducing its direct emissions in absolute value year after year since 2019,
• Now assesses a portion of its indirect emissions (business travel and commuting) and the emissions from its partners (landing, taxiing and take-off phases, ground operations, etc.),
• Involves all players and partners at the airport facility in the decarbonisation process.

The airport is gearing up for the Transformation level of the ACA, the aim of which is to define a long-term emissions reduction trajectory involving all the players at the airport hub.

What is the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme?

Airport Carbon Accreditation is the sole globally recognised institutional certification programme for managing carbon emissions at airports.

It acknowledges the efforts made by airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions through five levels of certification: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation, Transformation and Net Zero, with carbon removal measures for residual emissions.

Airport Carbon Accreditation relies on internationally recognised methodologies. The programme provides airports with a common framework for actively managing carbon emissions with measurable indicators.

The carbon footprint of airports, along with their carbon management plans and those of their stakeholders, must undergo independent verification by a third party before being considered by the programme administrator.

www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org