Airport pledge to decarbonise by 2033 - The Solihull Observer

Airport pledge to decarbonise by 2033

Solihull Editorial 8th Nov, 2019 Updated: 8th Nov, 2019   0

Birmingham Airport has pledged to bring its carbon emissions to net zero in the next 14 years.

Airport bosses said the plans will focus on genuinely reducing the airport’s emissions of carbon dioxide by 2033.

They described the target of net zero carbon by 2033 as ‘ambitious’, but necessary to recognise the impacts of climate change.

Renewable energy generation on site is suggested as the one way to end fossil fuels powering the airport.




Nick Barton, Birmingham Airport’s CEO, said: “Technology is changing at some pace and the movement to a net-zero economy itself is driving innovation across the energy and transportation industry, and we are going to take advantage of this.

“Over the next six to twelve months we will be working to revise our existing carbon management plan and develop a roadmap. This will allow us to set and prioritise genuine carbon reduction objectives rather than carbon off-setting schemes, as we see this as the least favourable option.


“We don’t have all the answers about how we will hit this target, but we are confident that through innovation and collaboratively working with industry, government, manufacturers, on-site partners and employees, we can reach our target by 2033.”

He added the airport operations had reduced carbon emissions by a third since 2013, and emissions per passenger by over a half, despite growing passenger numbers by 40 per cent.

Birmingham Airport says it has joined a programme, ‘Sustainable Aviation’, which is made up of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and air traffic service providers to work together towards our common goal of cleaner, quieter and smarter aviation.

Sustainable Aviation will publish its fourth Decarbonisation Roadmap soon, drawing upon the latest evidence and expertise from across the industry, the airport says. Already, each generation of aircraft is 20 per cent more efficient than the last, and aviation has delivered annual fuel efficiency improvements of 1.5 per cent over the last decade.

Mr Barton added, “We are also doing our bit locally to help airlines reduce their emissions. For example, we are fully supportive of the UK’s Airspace Modernisation programme, which the Committee on Climate Change advise is required to be delivered if the UK is going to achieve net-zero by 2050.

“We’ve already delivered changes to our airspace as part of the UK Airspace Modernisation programme and we will continue to work with the CAA, Sustainable Aviation and airline partners to help reduce aircraft emissions further.”

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