Source: ACI-LAC
The Airports Council International for Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) is pleased to announce that six airports operated by Aena Brasil in the northeastern region of Brazil have just received Level 1 certification under the ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. This level is granted to airports that have mapped their carbon footprint, identified emission sources, and calculated their annual emissions.
The certified airports are Recife International Airport, Maceió International Airport, João Pessoa International Airport, Aracaju International Airport, Campina Grande Airport and Juazeiro do Norte Airport.
The certification is the result of a process that includes inventories of direct emissions from airport operations, such as those generated by vehicles and equipment owned by the airports. In 2024, Aena Brasil completed its greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory using 2023 as the base year. The 2025 inventory, based on 2024 data, was independently verified by ABNT, the only Brazilian verifier affiliated with ACI.
The inclusion of Aena Brasil’s northeastern airports in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program is part of the operator’s Climate Action Plan (PAC), which foresees investments of more than R$ 260 million in the coming years. Planned actions include replacing the internal fleet with clean-energy vehicles, increasing energy efficiency, implementing photovoltaic plants, and other initiatives aimed at ensuring that 100% of the electricity used at terminals comes from renewable sources. The plan also covers waste management, effluent treatment, emissions offsetting, promotion of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and awareness and governance programs to strengthen climate change education efforts.
Aena Brasil’s goal is to advance gradually in meeting these targets and reach ACA Level 2 certification by 2026.
“The Climate Action Plan reflects our commitment to a more efficient and innovative airport operation, aligned with international best practices in sustainability. We are investing today in the transformations that will secure a Net Zero future, actively and effectively contributing to the decarbonization of the aviation sector in Brazil,” said Marcelo Bento Ribeiro, Director of Institutional Relations, Communications and ESG at Aena Brasil.
ACI-LAC Director General, Rafael Echevarne, celebrated the inclusion of Aena Brasil’s airports in the ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation program, emphasizing that this initiative reaffirms the company’s commitment to sustainability in aviation, benefiting the sector, passengers, and society as a whole.
“We value and celebrate the effort of our airport member for joining the program, particularly noting the significance of having six of the main airports in northeastern Brazil participate—a region of great economic and cultural importance. The certification of these first Aena Brasil airports under the ACA, as part of their Climate Action Plan, reinforces the company’s commitment to this alliance, driving its long-term strategic efforts. This collaboration honors and motivates us to continue working together toward a more sustainable aviation sector,” he said.