Four of the airports belonging to the State-owned Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) have been awarded certificates of accreditation for reducing their carbon emissions. The certificates were awarded under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, at the Airports Council International (ACI) – Africa World Annual General Assembly, in Marrakech, Morocco, on Tuesday.

The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme is the only such initiative that is institutionally-endorsed and which provides independent assessment and recognition of carbon emission reduction efforts by airports. The four ACSA airports which were recognised for their efforts in doing so were OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg), Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport (Durban) and Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (Port Elizabeth).

“Our airports, due to their strategic locations, continue to play a leading role as important connecting hubs in the [Southern Africa Development Community] region and the continent,” highlighted ACSA CEO Mpumi Mpofu. “Our deliberate posture as early adopters of cutting-edge technology throughout our airport network to optimise customer journeys and over-all passenger experience is clearly beginning to bear fruit.”

Attending the assembly, she received the certificates on behalf of the group and the airports and expressed her pleasure at the recognition accorded to their management and staff for their hard work regarding environmental, social and governance issues. “Quite frankly this a recognition of the immense work they put in each day to ensure that we have efficient and well-run airports.”

The global airport sector had prioritised carbon emission reduction. ACSA was determined to stay in line with international best practice in this, she affirmed. “The ACI and its members not too long ago established a world decarbonisation goal that airports at a global level can commit to, of reaching net-zero carbon by 2050, and as ACSA we are fully behind this goal and this recognition by ACI Africa is a testament to that.”