How 66 cents could change your BNE journey

• Brisbane Airport offers carbon offset program for drivers parking at BNE 
• Brisbane Airport is the first Australian airport to match every offset purchased, dollar for dollar 
• Initial take-up by Queensland travellers far exceeds expectations  
• Funds to be used to regenerate Mulga Lands bioregion in  South West Queensland 

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Brisbane Airport has introduced carbon offsets for travellers using airport parking. 
 
Travellers can offset their drive to and from the airport for just 66 cents. The option can only be selected when people book online. 
 
Brisbane Airport has trusted Asia Pacific’s largest carbon offset provider, Tasman Environmental Markets (TEM), to deliver the environmental benefits of the project. 
 
The carbon offset projects will support native bush regeneration projects in South West Queensland & New South Wales.  
 
Brisbane Airport Corporation will match every purchase, doubling the impact of every carbon offset purchase. 
 
"We know other airports have introduced parking carbon offset programs, but no other Australian airport is matching the contribution dollar for dollar," says Raechel Paris, Executive General Manager Governance and Sustainability at Brisbane Airport. 
 
"So far we’ve been blown away by the number of BNE travellers choosing this option. We expected 1-2% of customers would go for it, but already it’s double that and we’ve only just launched. In the first month of operation, almost three thousand people have taken this option representing an 84,480kg carbon offset. At this rate, we’ll be having to purchase more offsets a lot earlier than we even dreamed, so this is a fantastic response from travellers." 
 
How are emissions calculated? 
By compiling the postcode data of all online parking customers in 2019, Brisbane Airport calculated the average return trip for a parking customer to be 70km.   
 
The National Transport Commission (NTC) measures CO2e emissions using the Vehicle Emissions Intensity measure, where they calculate how much CO2e a vehicle is likely to produce per kilometre.   
 
To ensure the majority of vehicles were covered, Brisbane Airport based calculations off the average vehicle emissions intensity measure of heavy SUV's provided by the NTC, then multiplied this by an average 70km return trip. This calculated to 15kg of C02e emitted. 
 
An offset purchase of $0.66c covers 15kg of CO2e emitted. Brisbane Airport will then match each purchase, increasing the offset to 30kg. 
 
The bigger picture 
Brisbane Airport is deeply aware that emissions produced by travellers driving to and from the airport is only a fraction of their emissions, once the impact of their flights is taken into account. 
 

That is why Brisbane Airport is playing a leadership role to assist the industry transition to net zero travel. 
 
Brisbane Airport is currently representing all Australian airports on the inaugural Australian Jet Zero Council, which is tasked with advising the Commonwealth Government on a transition framework for sustainable aviation. Brisbane Airport is also home to Stralis, which is currently working towards a 2025 trial of emission free hydrogen powered electric aircraft.  
 
Brisbane Airport Corporation has hit fast forward on its own scope 1 and 2 targets, committing to be net zero by 2025, largely through a renewable energy deal providing wind and solar energy to BNE. 
 
Brisbane Airport is the first Australian airport to receive Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation by Airports Council International (ACI).   
 
The Level 4 "transformation" status recognises Brisbane Airport’s long-term carbon management strategy towards absolute emissions reductions and evidence of forging meaningful partnerships to reduce the emissions of airport partners. 
 
For more on sustainability at Brisbane Airport click here.  
For more on offset parking program click here.
For more on Tasman Enironmental Markets click here.