Canada/Charlottetown Airport unveils its first sustainable development plan
Charlottetown Airport launches its first five-year plan to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and make the aviation sector more sustainable.
To achieve this, the management of Prince Edward Island's only airport is focusing on reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmentally-friendly practices.
What you see in this plan are things that are already underway, as well as new goals we've set for ourselves over the next five years," says Charlottetown Airport CEO Doug Newson.
The GHG issue
Although air transport's share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is considerable, Charlottetown Airport has no control over air travel as such. This part is therefore excluded from the Authority's strategic plan.
But that doesn't mean we can't reduce GHGs from our activities at the airport," adds Doug Newson. Whether it's through our use of energy and equipment, or the way we carry out our projects.
To achieve this, the airport aims to reduce its GHG emissions from electric heating and its fleet of service vehicles by 15% per passenger by 2028, compared with its 2017 emissions.
By 2050, the airport authority hopes to be carbon neutral. One of the projects currently underway at Charlottetown Airport is the expansion of the departures and arrivals terminal. Work began in 2023 at a cost of $20 million, and will be used to cope with the growing influx of passengers.
Everything in the design of this project takes into account this desire to reduce GHGs," says Doug Newson. In particular, the type of equipment used, the conversion of lighting to LED and the search for sustainable alternatives for heating and electricity.
We ensure that all new buildings and major renovations are designed, at a minimum, to incorporate renewable energy options, either solar or geothermal," continues the CEO.
The 2024-2028 Sustainability Plan, effective Friday, also has goals for diversity and inclusion, risk and crisis management, and improved community relations.
According to Doug Newson, it's the sum of all these small initiatives that will enable the administration to succeed in its sustainability goals.
Source: www.msn.com/
