Brussels, 01/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - Half of all European airline passengers transit through airports which have pledged to reduce their CO2 emissions. These are part of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, an initiative of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe) launched in 2009. There are now 55 airports, categorised according to certification value scale from cartography to neutral, via reduction and optimisation. The best result has been achieved by the Swedish airport Gothenberg-Landvetter, which is considered carbon neutral. The director-general of ACI Europe, Olivier Jankovec, says that this enthusiasm of the airports to become accredited and reduce their impact on the environment proves that “our industry continues to make tangible progress in addressing its carbon footprint and becoming more efficient”. This initiative of the industry is very welcome news to the European transport commissioner, who says that “genuine progress on greening transport and curbing emissions can only occur when the regulator's work is complemented by citizens and businesses taking action of their own. Airport Carbon Accreditation is a fine example of an industry taking the initiative in this regard.” The commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedegaard, who also welcomes these excellent results, described the initiative as innovative. (MD/transl.fl)