Monday, September 16, 2024 Oakland International Airport (OAK), managed by the Port of Oakland, has reached Level Three status in the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation initiative. This recognition was awarded during the 2024 ACI North America Annual Conference and Exhibition, held last week in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Airport Carbon Accreditation program is a global initiative that mandates participating airports to engage in emission reduction efforts and demonstrate the implementation of robust carbon management strategies.
“OAK is proud to announce that we have achieved Level Three carbon accreditation with the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program,” said Port of Oakland Director of Aviation Craig Simon . “We are so pleased to be a participant in this program. OAK and its partners are committed to the continued reduction of carbon emissions at our airport.
” In order to achieve Level Three certification, OAK was required to fulfill additional criteria, including: The expansion of the verified carbon footprint to encompass various Scope 3 emission sources, such as emissions from the take-off and landing cycle, ground transportation to the airport for passengers and staff, and emissions from employee business travel. Scope 3 emissions refer to greenhouse gas emissions that are indirectly generated by OAK’s operations but fall outside its direct control. Demonstration of efforts to involve key stakeholders, including airlines, ground handling teams, employees, passengers, and transportation planners.
As of last week, OAK successfully fulfilled all necessary criteria and now holds Level Three accreditation. The program consists of seven total levels, and OAK is already working towards advancing through the next stages. Looking ahead, the Port of Oakland aims to achieve zero emissions from OAK-owned sources and operations by 2040.
Both the United States and Canada have pledged to reach net-zero emissions at airports by 2050. Globally, the Airport Carbon Accreditation program has 587 participating airports..
