YVR becomes first Canadian airport to achieve Level 4+ ACA

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has received Level 4+ Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) by Airports Council International (ACI), making it the first airport in Canada and only one of three in North America to achieve this status.

The Level 4+ accreditation recognises YVR’s role in setting a course for its own carbon reduction while actively working with aviation partners to drive broader emissions reductions.   

“At YVR, we have a long history of innovation and sustainability and are proud to be at the forefront of creating a greener, more resilient future for our airport and aviation as well as our community and the economy that supports it,” commented Tamara Vrooman, President & CEO at Vancouver Airport Authority. “Achieving this new level of certification is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative mindset of our YVR team and business partners. I look forward to continued progress toward our ambitious climate goals as we collaborate with industry and government to decarbonize our sector.”

YVR is advancing work under its Roadmap to Net Zero Carbon and remains on track to become net zero by 2030 and one of the greenest airports in the world. Work includes following four decarbonization pathways that outline actions necessary for the airport to reduce emissions from its direct operations, referred to as Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The pathways are green fleets, energy conservation and electrification, replacing fossil fuels with renewable alternatives, and strategically purchasing carbon removals to close the gap.

YVR is also focused on supporting the decarbonization of aviation overall in conjunction with the ongoing efforts of the federal government’s Aviation Climate Action Plan and is working with partners to support them in reducing their emissions. This includes providing ground power units for airlines to plug into electric power at the gate and shut off engines, and using technology through YVR’s digital twin to monitor aircraft movements and map more efficient routing on its airfield to reduce carbon emissions.

In addition, the airport recently aligned with the two largest commercial airports in the Cascadia Corridor: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Portland International Airport (PDX), to leverage resources that will lead to tangible results in four categories, including the development and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

YVR‘s leadership in carbon reduction was given further recognition by Airports Council International through an Honourable Mention at the 2022 Environmental Achievement Awards for the airport’s Roadmap to Net Zero Carbon.