Kenya has emerged among top countries in Africa and the first ever in East and Central Africa to receive Level 2 Carbon Accreditation.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), in a statement on Wednesday, announced that Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Moi International Airport in Mombasa received the Level 2 'Reduction' certification under Airports Council International (ACI) World’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Program.
The other two airports that hit the milestone were Kisumu International Airport and Eldoret International Airport.
KAA Acting Managing Director Henry Ogoye noted that the accolade was testament to the authority's commitment to maintain a clean and sustainable environment.
"Our Level 2 'Reduction' accreditation is not merely an accolade; it is a testament to our unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility. This laudable achievement underscores our role as a responsible environmental steward in the region," he stated.
“We’re deeply committed to working alongside our various airport partners, from airlines to ground handling companies, and service providers, to explore additional ways to mitigate carbon emissions at our facilities. In doing so, we are not only fulfilling our duty to present generations but also laying a foundation for sustainable operations for the future."
The 4 airports managed by KAA joined the ACA in 2021 with the program providing a solid framework to optimize and, eventually, eliminate emissions at the facilities.
ACA Program - the only institutionally-endorsed, global carbon management program for airports, offers an impartial evaluation, measuring and rewarding airports for their carbon management efforts.
It strives to enable the airport industry to effectively reduce its carbon footprint, and to benefit from increased efficiency through lowered energy consumption.
The program consists of six progressive levels of certification: mapping, reduction, optimisation, neutrality, transformation, and transition, each requiring strict adherence to environmental performance metrics.
The four airports were part of a select group of 14 in Africa operating at level 2 'reduction,' constituting 20.6% of the continent's air passenger traffic.
Other airports with the certification are George Airport and Bram Fischer International Airport in South Africa, Murtala Muhammed Airport in Nigeria, Kigali International Airport in Rwanda and Rabat-Salé Airport in Morocco.
