Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) has been awarded a Level 3 Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) by Airports Council International (ACI), an industry standards organisation.
The prestigious certification recognises the airport’s efforts in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, aligning with the government’s ambitious goal to cut outputs by 41.7% by 2030 – a reduction that the nationally determined contribution (NDC), updated in 2020, estimates as 64.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2 Eq) per annum.
A statement from Cambodia Airports – the concessionaire of PNH and Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS) – detailed that the ACA programme, initiated in 2009 by ACI, is independently verified and encompasses seven levels of certification – Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation, Neutrality, Transformation, Transition and the newly introduced Level 5.
It explained that following the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), the international council has added a Level 5 accreditation, which so far has been awarded to only 10 airports globally.
Among these, four airports are developed and operated by VINCI Airports, the parent company of Cambodia Airports.
“The ACA programme necessitates the monitoring of the airport’s carbon footprint and the implementation of measures to progressively reduce it. To meet its targets, the airport has heavily invested in highly efficient chiller systems for central air conditioning, replaced all lighting with LED technology and reduced the use of diesel ground generators,” said the company.
Cyril Girot, CEO of Cambodia Airports, emphasised the company’s environmental leadership and pioneering efforts.
“In addition to the ACA programme, [PNH] achieved ISO 14001 certification in December 2023. These accomplishments underscore our unwavering commitment to addressing the challenges of global climate change. I extend my gratitude to our staff and partners for their active participation in these environmental initiatives, contributing positively to all communities and advancing sustainable mobility,” he said.
The company has launched a comprehensive initiative focusing on waste management, water consumption efficiency and the protection of natural resources and biodiversity, including constructing a sorting facility to segregate recyclable and food wastes and introducing new rubbish bins to encourage trash sorting at the source.
On May 12, 2023, the Ministry of Environment formally initiated the five-year Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Cambodia, signifying the Kingdom’s dedication to sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
At the launch ceremony, Chuop Paris, the ministry’s undersecretary of state, underscored the country’s commitment to green economy objectives.
He referenced the National Strategic Plan on Green Growth 2013-30 and the Long-term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality (LTS4CN), which was submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2021.
“Joining the global partnership will leverage the country’s efforts in mobilising additional support in terms of new and advanced knowledge and finance to expedite the transition towards an inclusive green economy,” he said.
The government officially approved the plan in March 2013, aiming to balance economic development with environmental and natural resource sustainability.
Under a public-private partnership agreement signed with the government in 1995, Cambodia Airports holds a 45-year concession for the development and management of the country’s international airports in Phnom Penh and the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk.
The shareholders of the company include France’s VINCI Airports, owning 70%, and Muhibbah Masteron (Cambodia) Co Ltd, a Malaysian-Cambodian joint venture, owning 30%, as per the company.