BIA goes green

Manama

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the managing body and operator of Bahrain International Airport (BIA) recently achieved the Airport Carbon Accreditation ‘Level 1 Mapping’ from the Airports Council International (ACI), a significant milestone in BAC’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operate BIA as an environmentally-friendly facility on par with its global counterparts. 

 The Airport Carbon Accreditation is the only institutionally-endorsed carbon management certification standard for airports and recognises and accredits airports that successfully manage and reduce their carbon footprint. Currently in its sixth year, this programme has accredited a total of 122 airports the world over.

 With the guidance and consultation of French Consultancy Group Envisa, BAC is in the process of developing a comprehensive Carbon Management Plan to gradually reduce BIA’s carbon emissions and ultimately achieve full accreditation. ‘Level 1 Mapping’ is the first step in the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme’s four-step accreditation process which also includes Reduction, Optimization and Neutrality.  

According to Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, Chief Executive Officer at Bahrain Airport Company, “We are keen to do our part to preserve the environment and we will persist with our goal to reduce our emissions and gradually turn BIA into carbon-neutral facility”.

Regional Director of ACI Asia-Pacific, Patti Chau said, “Since its launch in 2009, 25 airports in the Asia-Pacific region have been accredited. Bahrain International Airport’s achievement has once again shown that airports in our region are committed to and have taken actual action in reducing CO2 impact at airports.”

 “We have already started planning for the second phase of the programme to actively reduce our emissions and attain accreditation for ‘Level 2 – Reduction’ in the near future,” further stated Al Binfalah. 

 The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme takes into consideration aircraft emissions whilst stationed within an airport’s perimeter and on initial departure and final approach.