Source: ACI-LAC
Airports Council International Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) is pleased to announce that Vitória International Airport (Vitória Airport) in Espírito Santo and Macaé Airport (Macaé Airport) in Rio de Janeiro, both operated by Zurich Airport Brazil, have achieved Level 4 of the ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA)certification program.
This achievement follows the recent accreditation obtained in February by Florianópolis International Airport (Floripa Airport), also managed by Zurich Airport Brasil, which became the first airport in the country to achieve this level.
To obtain Level 4 accreditation, airports must demonstrate a sustained reduction in their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, consolidate the commitment of the various stakeholders operating in the airport environment, and present a long-term carbon management strategy aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2040. This objective is part of the industry’s Net Zero commitment, aligned with the guidelines of the Paris Agreement and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In 2024, Vitória Airport reduced its carbon footprint from 170 to 158 tons of CO₂, getting closer to the target of 123 tons per year needed to achieve Net Zero by 2040. This progress is the result of the work of concessionaire Zurich Airport Brasil, which monitors 30 categories of greenhouse gas emitting sources with its own Carbon Flow system, awarded the “Green Airport Recognition” in 2021 at the ACI-LAC Annual Conference in Cancun, Mexico. The analysis covers everything from employee commuting to the use of sustainable suppliers and aircraft emissions on the ground. Based on the monitoring, actions were implemented such as the 400 hertz and PCA project, which supplies clean energy to aircraft and has already prevented the emission of 3,781 tons of GHG since March 2024.
As for Macaé – the first regional airport and off-shore base in Brazil to be certified with Level 4 of the ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation – the achievement came in recognition of the building of partnerships with stakeholders to reduce emissions, which includes, among other actions, the electrification of fleet vehicles.
“This recognition for Vitória Airport and Macaé Airport is a source of pride, as it demonstrates the progress made as a result of our genuine commitment to sustainability. This achievement, together with Floripa Airport’s recent level 4 certification, reinforces our efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of the aviation industry”, says Ricardo Gesse, CEO of Zurich Airport Brasil
“It is with great satisfaction that we congratulate Zurich Airport Brazil for the significant progress of its airports on the climate agenda. The recent certification of Floripa Airport, along with those of Vitória Airport and Macaé Airport, at Level 4 of ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program, reinforces the strong commitment of our member and the Brazilian airport sector to sustainable practices and reducing the environmental impact of aviation. This international recognition demonstrates that Brazil is moving consistently towards excellence in carbon management at its airports, actively contributing to a more responsible and sustainable aviation in Latin America,” said Dr. Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACI-LAC.