Press Release

Cambodia's 3 International Airports Achieve Carbon Reduction Certification

Demonstrating VINCI Airports’ strong commitment to fight climate change, Cambodia’s 3 international airports achieve this October to upgrade to the level 2 – Reduction of the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme, the only voluntary global program for greenhouse gas emissions reductions at airports launched in 2009 on the initiative of the Airports Council International (ACI).

The program, independently administered and verified, has four levels of certification: Mapping, Reduction, Optimization, and Neutrality. The successful accreditation at level 2 results from the successful reduction of Scope 1 & 2 CO2 emissions at the airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville and the subsequent introduction of a Carbon Management Plan to address these emissions. The carbon footprint obtained on Level 1 was used as a starting point to control and reduce the airports’ impact on their environment. Initiatives deployed include streamlining electricity use at the airports’ facilities, phasing out old vehicles and sorting of waste.

This new level of certification is a recognition of the VINCI Airports’ global environmental policy called Airpact, which establishes goals for its airports based on its commitment to the preservation of the environment. It also recognizes the airports’ actions to manage and reduce CO2 emissions and rewards a multi-annual effort to control and reduce their carbon footprint. The next step will be to apply for level 3, Optimisation, which requires to widen the scope of action to include the airport’s partners in the carbon reduction endeavor, a testament to global implication of all airport activities. It is both an achievement for Cambodia Airports, a subsidiary of VINCI Airports, as concessionaire of Cambodia’s international airports and for each single airport.

Alain Brun, CEO of Cambodia Airports, said: “This additional step in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme demonstrates the long term commitment of Cambodia Airports for Environmental protection. It is in line with VINCI Airports objectives, the first international group to commit all its airports to excel within the Airports Carbon Accreditation Programme. Today, all of them have been continuously certified at different levels.”

“We congratulate the airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, operated by Cambodia Airports, for reaching Level 2 Reduction in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme,” said Stephano Baronci, Director General ACI Asia-Pacific. “As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, we commend Cambodia Airports for taking a sustainable approach to growth.” Alain Brun added: “I want to extend my appreciation to all our collaborators at the three airports who have contributed greatly to this challenge. I am confident this dedicated team will continue to bring even more success to the fight against climate change and to advance toward continuous improvement.” 

About Airport Carbon Accreditation:

Launched in Europe in 2009, Airport Carbon Accreditation assesses and recognizes the efforts undertaken by airports to manage and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Since November 2014, it has been the only global certification program specifically for the airport industry. Accreditation can be applied for annually and has four levels of certification: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality. To obtain certification, all requirements must be independently verified before being examined by the Program Administrator, WSP. Currently, there are 325 certified airports around the world.

About Cambodia Airports:

Under a public-private partnership signed with the Royal Government of Cambodia in 1995, Cambodia Airports holds the concession for the development and management of Cambodia’s network of international airports serving the capital city of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Archaeological Complex, and the port city and beach resort of Sihanoukville.

The shareholders of Cambodia Airports are France’s VINCI Airports (70%) and Muhibbah Masteron Cambodia (30%), a Malaysian-Cambodian joint venture.

In 2019, the number of passengers going through Cambodia’s international airports totaled nearly 11.6 million, 6+ million for Phnom Penh Airport and 3.9 million for Siem Reap Airport. From a low base but experiencing triple-digit growth, Sihanoukville International Airport handled more than 1.6+ million passengers. All 3 platforms serve 55+ destinations and welcome 700 regular flights per week.

More comprehensive information is available on www.cambodia-airports.com.

About Vinci Airports:

VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of 45 airports located in Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, France, Japan, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Served by more than 250 airlines, VINCI Airports’ network handled 255 million passengers in 2019. Through its expertise as a comprehensive integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimize the management and performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and modernization projects. In 2019, its annual revenue for managed activities amounted to Euros 4.9 billion, for consolidated revenue of Euros 2.6 billion.

More comprehensive information is available on www.vinci-airports.com.