Press Release

Issued by Aeroports de la Cote d'Azur.

September 7, 2018

Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur is pleased to announce that all airports in the group have achieved carbon neutrality.

In 2011, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport became one of the first French airports to join the independent Airport Carbon Accreditation program and five years later in 2016, it became the 25th airport in the world, and the first in France, to achieve carbon neutrality.

Now, with the addition of Cannes-Mandelieu and Golfe de Saint-Tropez airports, all of the Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur Group platforms are certified to Level 3+ carbon neutrality under the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme.

Airport Carbon Accreditation is a program supported by ACI Europe, which allows airports around the world to rigorously measure their carbon footprint and more importantly, to implement programs in order to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, according to four levels of certification: 1 mapping, 2 reduction, 3 optimisation and 3+ neutrality. These results and programs are audited by an independent firm, before being reviewed by WSP, the administrator of the scheme.

It requires the airport manager, after several years of proven reduction, to commit to continue maintaining its improvement efforts every year, for all activities under its control and to encourage other relevant parties to do the same: airlines or assistant helicopter airlines, freight companies, shops, restauranteurs, car rental companies, cleaning companies, refuelling tankers, public authorities and security companies, etc.

To date, 37 partners have voluntarily participated in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program for Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur.

Since 2015, the group's platforms have significantly reduced their emissions, particularly due to the successful partnership with the Electricité de France (EDF) Group and the signing of a guaranteed 100% French hydraulic electricity purchase contract, which corresponds to a reduction of 30 to 50%, depending on the platforms.

To illustrate the efforts provided in Nice, emissions are barely 130 grams CO2 eq. per passenger, while the world average is 2,210 grams and 1,610 grams for European airports.

For the future, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport has also decided to convert its fleet of professional vehicles to electric power. Its service vehicles will thus be completely renewed by 2020. The airports of Cannes-Mandelieu and Golfe de St Tropez will also quickly follow on from this example.

Dominique Thillaud, chairman of the board of Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur Group says: “The group's three airports have achieved carbon neutrality: this is very strong recognition of our long-standing involvement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This commitment helps preserve air quality on the Côte d'Azur and more generally, to help fight climate change. We would like to set an example in an activity that is often in the firing line of criticism, despite its efforts and its added value that is essential for regional economy and employment.

"It is also a matter of satisfaction and pride for all of our staff and partners who have, each at their own level, worked to achieve this result, often by means of small and simple everyday gestures, for example always turning off their computer before leaving the office and avoiding printing documents as much as possible, but also through changes in more personal behaviour: car sharing, preferential use of public transport, home/work journeys by bike, etc, developments that we have also strongly encouraged.”

Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe says: “Two years after Nice Airport achieved carbon neutrality, a new step was taken by Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur, as the group's three airports are now certified to Level 3+ of the Airport Carbon Accreditation program. I sincerely congratulate Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur for achieving its carbon neutrality objective, made possible particularly by means of an ambitious strategy, concrete actions and close collaboration with 37 partners who deploy their activities on the platforms operated by the group. This achievement makes Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur the first French airport group to have achieved carbon neutrality.”