HYDERABAD: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has received the carbon neutrality status by Airports Council International, its operator GHIAL said on Wednesday.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), a GMR Group-led consortium which operates the airport, announced that it was conferred with the carbon neutrality (level 3: neutrality) certificate at a glittering ceremony organised at Doha, Qatar.
Kerrie Mather, ACI’s President, Asia-Pacific gave away the prestigious certificate to GHIAL CEO SGK. Kishore, GHIAL COO Manish Sinha, and GHIAL’s ead, Safety & Environment Narayanasamy Venkatachalapathy.
ACI certified RGIA with level 3+ neutrality under its Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, the industry standard for assessment of airports’ efforts to manage and reduce carbon emissions, said a GHIAL statement.
The ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation programme was launched in June 2009, and comprises of four levels: ‘mapping’ (level 1), ‘reduction’ (level 2), ‘optimisation’ (level 3) and ‘neutrality’ (level 3+).
Hyderabad Airport progressively achieved levels one and two in 2012. The airport gained level 3 status in 2013. This year, GHIAL has achievedAlevel 3+ neutrality, which is the fourth and highest accreditation.
“It is a feather in our cap and recognition for the sustainable environmental measures that we are taking up at the airport. Our proactive energy conservation measures, generation of renewable energy (5 MW Solar Power Plant), carbon sinking through extensive greenbelt and various other environment protection initiatives with the active support of the airport’s stakeholders have contributed towards achieving this status,” said Kishore.
“Continuing our journey towards sustainability, we are also migrating to energy efficient LED lighting for the entire airport of which more than 75 percent has been completed. This also includes the recent accomplishment of converting the entire Runway Edge Lights into LE,” he added.