Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 21-May-2020

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a commitment by the airline CEOs on its Board of Governors to five principles for re-connecting the world by air transport.

These principles are:

1. Aviation will always put safety and security first: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to:

• Implement a science-based biosecurity regime that will keep our passengers and crew safe while enabling efficient operations.
• Ensure that aviation is not a meaningful source for the spread of communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

2. Aviation will respond flexibly as the crisis and science evolve: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to:

• Utilize new science and technology as it becomes available, for example, reliable, scalable and efficient solutions for COVID-19 testing or immunity passports.
• Develop a predictable and effective approach to managing any future border closures or mobility restrictions.
• Ensure that measures are scientifically supported, economically sustainable, operationally viable, continuously reviewed, and removed/replaced when no longer necessary.

3. Aviation will be a key driver of the economic recovery: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to:

• Re-establish capacity that can meet the demands of the economic recovery as quickly as possible.
• Ensure that affordable air transport will be available in the post-pandemic period.

4. Aviation will meet its environment targets: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to:

• Achieve our long-term goal of cutting net carbon emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050.
• Successfully implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

5. Aviation will operate to global standards which are harmonized and mutually recognized by governments: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to:

• Establish the global standards necessary for an effective re-start of aviation, particularly drawing on strong partnerships with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Ensure that agreed measures are effectively implemented and mutually recognized by governments.

"Re-starting air transport is important. Even as the pandemic continues, the foundations for an industry re-start are being laid through close collaboration of the air transport industry with ICAO, the WHO, individual governments and other parties. Much work, however, remains to be done. By committing to these principles, the leaders of the world's airlines will guide the safe, responsible and sustainable re-start of our vital economic sector. Flying is our business. And it is everyone's shared freedom," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO.

O Salvador Bahia Airport, integrante da rede VINCI Airports, acaba de ser reconhecido como o "Aeródromo Mais Sustentável do Brasil em 2019", em avaliação inédita da Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC). O levantamento "Aeródromos Sustentáveis" mapeou práticas voltadas para a gestão ambiental nos aeroportos do país e contou com a participação voluntária das instituições.

Nesse mapeamento, foram levados em conta 36 indicadores, entre eles gestão hídrica, de energia elétrica, de resíduos, mudanças climáticas, emissões atmosféricas, ruídos, solo, fauna e flora bem como educação ambiental e gestão organizacional. O Aeroporto da capital baiana atendeu a 33 dos 36 quesitos avaliados e registrou pontuação de 88,85% e foi considerado como tendo ações sustentáveis em nível avançado. Os aeroportos foram classificados em três níveis de maturidade das suas ações sustentáveis: inicial (entre 25% e 50%), intermediário (entre 50% e 75%) e avançado (a partir de 75%).

Tal conquista é resultado do trabalho desenvolvido pelo Salvador Bahia Airport em diferentes frentes de atuação sustentável, que incluem redução de carbono, gestão de água, gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos, preservação ambiental, entre outros.

"Estamos alinhados à política ambiental global da VINCI: a Air Pact. Apostar no uso de novas tecnologias, aperfeiçoar os processos e engajar os colaboradores em prol da sustentabilidade são pilares que fazem parte do nosso compromisso desde que assumimos a concessão do Terminal", afirma o diretor-presidente do Salvador Bahia Airport, Julio Ribas.

O reconhecimento no projeto "Aeródromos Sustentáveis" soma-se a outras conquistas do Terminal nessa área. O Aeroporto é reconhecido como "aeroporto verde" pelo Conselho Internacional de Aeroportos - América Latina e Caribe (ACI - LAC) e conquistou as Certificações de Acreditação em Carbono (ACA) tanto no primeiro como no segundo nível.

"Estamos muito felizes com essa nova conquista. Todos os reconhecimentos que temos alcançado em sustentabilidade são fruto de um trabalho incessante, coletivo e realizado diariamente, de forma planejada, cuidadosa e estratégica", destaca o Gerente de Meio Ambiente do Salvador Bahia Airport, Rodrigo Tavares.

Conheça algumas das iniciativas sustentáveis do Aeroporto em diferentes áreas.

Gestão de água - Graças à implantação de uma Estação de Tratamento de Efluentes (ETE) com 99,5% de eficiência, o Salvador Bahia Airport passou a adotar um sistema de reuso de água em vasos sanitários, torres de resfriamento e outros fins não nobres. Com isso, houve uma redução em 37% no consumo de água potável. Além disso, as torneiras do Terminal contam com bicos arejadores, que reduzem a vazão da água sem afetar a percepção do usuário.

Eficiência Energética e Redução na emissão de carbono - Tendo conquistado o nível 2 da certificação ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation), o Aeroporto atua nessa frente com melhorias do sistema de climatização, instalação de dispositivos inteligentes como sensores de presença nas escadas, elevadores e banheiros e substituição de lâmpadas convencionais por LED. Além disso, é o primeiro do país a contar com uma usina solar abastecendo o Terminal. O equipamento tem 4.215kWp de potência e pretende diminuir em 30% a pegada de carbono do Aeroporto, o que equivale a 690 toneladas ao ano.

Gestão de Resíduos Sólidos - O Salvador Bahia Airport é o primeiro aeroporto Aterro Zero do Brasil e conta com uma Central de Resíduos Sólidos. A totalidade dos resíduos gerados no Terminal são coletados, classificados na Central e recebem a destinação adequada, sendo utilizados como matéria-prima para reciclagem ou para geração de energia e cimento. Anualmente, mais de 1,3 mil toneladas de resíduos sólidos são processadas e reintroduzidas em processos produtivos, adotando-se assim o conceito de economia circular.

Valorização e preservação da Biodiversidade - O Salvador Bahia Airport possui mais de 200 espécies de aves catalogadas e desenvolve o gerenciamento do risco da fauna. Através da licença de manejo de fauna, realiza monitoramentos, capturas com técnicas que não causam danos aos animais, tratamento veterinário, identificação da espécie e posterior soltura à natureza em locais licenciados. Dessa forma, preserva a biodiversidade local e reduz 80% das colisões com danos às aeronaves.

Now that European agreements have been made on the blending of sustainable fuels, sustainability will accelerate.

The focus on fleet renewal remains the most important spearhead in Eindhoven Airport's policy to limit noise nuisance. The airport also wants to encourage the use of sustainable fuels as a means to reduce CO2 emissions. Fleet renewal is at the basis of Pieter van Geel's advice, in response to the Eindhoven Airport Test Case, to reduce noise nuisance in the region. New aircraft types will not only be quieter, but also emit less CO2. Together with the addition of sustainable fuels, this will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions from the civil flight movements at Eindhoven Airport.

"Crisis or not, we have committed ourselves to Pieter van Geel's advice to substantially reduce the noise load in 2030 compared to 2019 and to start right away. Fleet renewal is an important condition for reducing nuisance. Despite all the uncertainties that now exist as a result of the crisis, we continue to pursue the objective in Van Geel's advice to have a 60% new fleet at Eindhoven Airport by 2030, "says Roel Hellemons, CEO / CEO of Eindhoven Airport .

In order to stimulate the use of quieter and cleaner aircraft in the coming years, the airport wants to make a distinction from April 2021 in the rate that airlines have to pay, the so-called port dues. The proposal is to offer a discount to airlines that come with cleaner and quieter aircraft.

In addition, Eindhoven Airport is committed to a European obligation for airlines to mix kerosene with sustainable fuels. The addition of sustainable fuels will contribute to the further greening of aviation.

The airport itself is well on track to be emission-free by 2030 for all land-based activities.

Hellemons: "Especially now that state aid is being given to airlines on a large scale in Europe, we understand very well that people are asking to attach conditions to that aid. In our view, this should preferably be imposed at European level, in order to create a fair playing field for airlines and to achieve the most results. We expect aviation to gradually recover and with these conditions we may be able to accelerate the necessary sustainability of the sector. That would be the profit this crisis brings. We are committed to this by national and European governments. ''

In terms of noise nuisance, the Eindhoven airport froze on its own initiative in 2019 the number of flights per year at 41,500 instead of the - for that year - licensed space of 43,000. As a result of the Eindhoven Airport Test Case, the maximum number of flight movements will remain fixed at 41,500 until 2021. From October this year, Eindhoven Airport will also stop planning flights after 11 p.m. to further limit noise nuisance in the region. The existing differentiation in port charges for airlines wishing to fly late at night or early in the morning will be maintained in the future.

Macau International Airport (MIA) has been working to reduce its carbon emissions for many years and its efforts have been recognized through the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Programme.

Launched by Airports Council International (ACI), the aim of the ACA Programme is to encourage and enable airports to implement best practices in carbon management, with the ultimate objective of becoming carbon neutral. Since May 2014, the Macau International Airport (MIA) has been awarded Level 2 "Reduction" of the ACA Programme, the accreditation is subject to renewal every year. In April this year, the accreditation for MIA was successfully renewed and maintained again. The accreditation was achieved after the calculations and emission data of Airport Operations Department had been verified by the qualified 3rd party verifier. Also, all the required documents, such as the Environmental Policy and procedures of Airport Operations Department, were reviewed by ACI.

The MIA Carbon Management Plan was revised in 2019 and the target "Reduce the carbon emissions per movement by 30% from 2018 level" was set. Following the implementations of the revised plan and together with the joint efforts from all concerned entities within the airport, the carbon emissions per movement in 2019 have been reduced by 14% from 2018 level.

It is already expected that it will be more challenging to achieve carbon emissions reduction next year, due to the significant decrease in the number of movements caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. However, Airport Operations Department will spare no effort in contributing and providing support to the long-term commitment of environmental protection of the MIA.