Article from BTNews 24 FEBRUARY 2020
Emissions breakthrough for Heathrow
A reduction in carbon emissions from airport buildings and infrastructure by 93% compared to 1990 was declared by Heathrow last week as the airport announced major achievements in climate protection.
Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said Heathrow had become one of the world’s first major aviation hubs to become carbon neutral for its infrastructure and the first to target zero carbon by the mid-2030s.
The remaining 7% of airport infrastructure emissions, including those from heating, will now be offset through tree-planting projects in Indonesia and Mexico certified through the Verified Carbon Standard.
Contributing to further carbon savings, this year Heathrow will be focused on ramping up improvements to sustainable transport links and ensuring it meets its target to transition all its cars and small vans to electric and plug-in hybrid.
Marking the milestone, the airport also announced a further investment of £1.8m for 2020 to kick-start UK nature-based carbon-saving projects such as the restoration of natural UK carbon sinks including peatlands, woodlands and farming soils.
These projects have been estimated by the Committee on Climate Change to have the ability to help save 43 megatonnes of carbon annually by 2050, if significant investments are made.
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