The Airports Council International for Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) announced that the six airports operated by Aena Brasil in the northeast region of Brazil have just received ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 1 certification. This level is granted to airports that map their carbon footprint, identify emission sources and calculate annual emissions. The certified terminals were Recife International Airport, Maceió International Airport, João Pessoa International Airport, Aracaju International Airport, Campina Grande Airport and Juazeiro do Norte Airport.
The certification is the result of work that includes inventories of direct emissions from airports, such as those from their own vehicles and equipment. In 2024, the full GHG inventory was completed, with a base year of 2023. The 2025 inventory, with data from 2024, was submitted for independent verification by contracting ABNT, the only Brazilian verification agency d with ACI.
The adhesion of the airports in the northeast managed by Aena Brasil to the Airport Carbon Accreditation program is part of the implementation of the operator's Climate Action Plan (PAC), which foresees investments of more than R$260 million in the coming years to replace the internal fleet with vehicles powered by clean energy, increase energy efficiency, install photovoltaic plants and other actions to ensure that 100% of the electricity in the terminals comes from renewable sources, manage waste, treat effluents, offset emissions, encourage the use of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), in addition to awareness and governance programs to strengthen educational actions on climate change. Aena Brasil's intention is that the gradual fulfillment of the goals will drive the evolution of the operator so that it reaches level 2 of the ACA Program by 2026.
About ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation
The ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation program currently has more than 600 certified airports in 95 countries. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are 99 ACI-LAC member airports that are actively committed to climate action. Among them, in addition to the six airports operated by Aena Brasil, eight more are located in Brazil: Santos Dumont Airport (level 1); Brasília International Airport, Vitória International Airport and Macaé Airport (level 2); Rio de Janeiro International Airport and Salvador International Airport (level 3); Belo Horizonte International Airport (level 3+) and Florianópolis International Airport (level 4).
ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation is the only global accredited carbon management certification program for airports. It independently assesses and recognizes airports’ efforts to manage and reduce their carbon emissions through 7 levels of certification:
Level 1: Airport maps its carbon footprint, identifies sources and calculates annual emissions.
Level 2: Airport proves emissions reduction with evidence of procedures and compliance with targets for carbon management.
Level 3: Airport expands the scope of emissions reduction and involves third parties in the process.
Level 3+: Airport meets the requirements of the previous stages and offsets the remaining emissions with carbon credits.
Level 4: Airport defines long-term carbon management strategy aimed at absolute reduction of emissions.
Level 4+: In addition to complying with the previous steps, the airport offsets the residual carbon emissions over which it has control.
Level 5: Highest level of the program. Airports maintain ≥ 90% absolute reductions in CO₂ emissions in scope 1 and 2 and commit to Net Zero in Scope 3 by 2050 or earlier. Offsets remaining emissions with carbon credits and encourages third parties to reduce emissions in line with the sectoral commitment.
