Hamilton Airport achieves Level 1 Airport Carbon accreditation

Hamilton Airport has taken the first big step in its commitment to reducing carbon emissions with the achievement of Level 1, Mapping accreditation under the globally recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

The programme independently assesses and recognises the efforts of airports to manage and reduce carbon emissions through six levels of certification – Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation, Neutrality, Transformation and Transition.

Level 1, Mapping required Hamilton Airport to measure and inventorise its carbon footprint, and the focus will now be on Level 2, Reduction of that carbon footprint. To achieve our aims, the airport company factors carbon emissions reduction into all airport planning and decision-making, with a focus on continual improvement.

Mark Morgan, chief executive at Hamilton Airport says, “we are delighted to have reached this milestone on our sustainability journey and are very proud to be one of the first regional airports to have done so. Level 1, Mapping demonstrates our commitment to the planet and to our global community, and despite the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, shows we can still operate our business in a planet-friendly and sustainable manner and protect our local communities from climate change.

We’re looking forward to seeing noticeable improvements in our carbon emission reduction aims as a result of design improvements in our redeveloped terminal,” says Morgan. “Longer term, the development of our business and industrial park will also seek to reduce our carbon emissions, and we are looking at the feasibility of introducing solar functionality to the park and its environs, and EV functionality to our car park,” he says.

As a member of Airport Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific, the airport company is very grateful to ACI Asia-Pacific for introducing its team to the Airport Carbon Accreditation mentorship programme and in particular for pairing us with the sustainability team at Christchurch Airport.

Angela Beardsmore, sustainability lead at Hamilton Airport, says “The sustainability team at Christchurch Airport have achieved such incredible success in their sustainability journey. They have been so supportive and the position they are in with regard to their climate action goals is aspirational for us - we look forward to continuing to learn from them as we progress through our own journey.”