Decarbonization is progressing in airports around the world: new examples of leadership in Latin America
Airports in the Brazilian Amazon reached new levels in the program, reflecting a trend that runs throughout the industry
Sustainability has ceased to be a promise and has become a strategic pillar of global aviation. Along this path, the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, promoted by the Airports Council International (ACI), is establishing itself as the only global certification system for carbon emissions management at airports.
Currently, 645 airports worldwide are part of this program, according to ACI. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 121 airports are already certified, while Brazil has 37, positioning the region as one of the most active hubs in airport decarbonization.
In this context, the network of airports operated by the Amazon Airports Concessionaire, part of Vinci Airports, reached new milestones within the program.
The airports of Tabatinga, Tefé, and Cruzeiro do Sul obtained Level 1 certification, which accredits the measurement of their carbon footprint and the identification of the main sources of emissions.
Meanwhile, the airports of Manaus, Porto Velho, Boa Vista, and Rio Branco achieved Level 3 certification, which recognizes not only carbon measurement but also structured carbon management. This level requires low-emission policies, reduction targets, energy monitoring, investment analysis, audits, internal training, and collaboration with airlines, operators, and service providers.
Kleyton Mendes, CEO of the concessionaire, highlighted that this progress “strengthens collaboration with all actors in the airport ecosystem and reaffirms the commitment to more responsible aviation and a healthier future.”
From ACI-LAC, its Director General Rafael Echevarne emphasized that these achievements “demonstrate regional leadership and the effort to transform Latin American aviation into a global benchmark in environmental management.”
A global standard for sustainable aviation
The Airport Carbon Accreditation program independently assesses airports' actions to manage and reduce their emissions through six progressive levels, ranging from initial measurement to full commitment to the Net Zero goal.
The highest level, Level 5, requires that the entire airport ecosystem be aligned with carbon neutrality. In the region, Salvador Bahia Airport, also operated by Vinci Airports, is so far the only one in the Americas to achieve this global standard.
These advances confirm that the transition to low-carbon aviation is no longer a future scenario, but an expanding reality that spans continents, markets, and operating models.
Fuente: ACI-LAC / Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACI)