BER is Germany’s first airport to achieve Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation
Berlin Brandenburg Airport has once again been recognised for its CO₂ management. BER is Germany’s first airport to achieve Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA). This represents another milestone on the road to CO₂-neutral airport operations. The award was announced today with Berlin’s Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner, at the Rotes Rathaus.
Airport Carbon Accreditation is owned and governed by Airport Council International (ACI) EUROPE in close cooperation with four ACI regions and with support of ACI World. It assesses and recognises airports’ activities to systematically record, control and reduce their carbon emissions. Participation is voluntary, and the audit is conducted by independent, external, experts.
What does Level 4 mean?
By advancing to Level 4, FBB now meets significantly more extensive requirements than at the previous Level 3:
- By way of its CO₂ roadmap, FBB has developed a strategic carbon management plan with clear milestones and long-term planning.
- The principle of absolute CO₂ reduction, not just relative improvements, applies in line with the global climate targets of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
- FBB enters into partnership commitments with companies at the location to jointly achieve specific emission reductions.
- FBB not only records all its own emissions (Scope 1 and 2), but also incorporates relevant upstream and downstream emissions (Scope 3) in its CO₂ management, including embedded emissions along the supply chain.
What FBB has already implemented
To reduce its emissions, FBB is focusing on expanding renewable energies and increasing energy efficiency. Since the beginning of 2025, photovoltaic systems have been in operation on several car park roofs at BER. Further systems will follow by 2030, including on the open spaces alongside the flight operation areas. Numerous measures have also been implemented to save energy. 4.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity were already saved last year by converting the lighting in Terminal 1 to LED, dimming or switching off the so-called lighting of the flight operation areas at night and optimising technical systems. BER is also increasingly focusing on electromobility on the apron. Since 2022, ground handling service providers have been subject to device-specific e-quotas, which will be increased in the middle of next year. There are currently more than 120 charging points available on the aprons.
Aletta von Massenbach, Chief Executive Officer of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH:
“The Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation award is a strong signal of our ambitions in climate protection. In close cooperation with our partners at BER, we are taking responsibility for the consistent reduction of CO2 emissions in airport operations. The common goal of all German commercial airports is clear: CO₂-neutral airport operations by 2045 at the latest.”
Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin:
“The BER Airport takes climate action very seriously and demonstrates that modern mobility and consistent climate protection are not a contradiction but can be implemented together. We want to further strengthen BER and need more international flight connections to better link the metropolitan region and eastern Germany and thereby also strengthen our economy. This award underscores Berlin’s role as a forward looking, internationally competitive location.”
Anton Förtsch, Sustainability Manager at Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH:
“Level 4 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation is the result of intensive technical work and comprehensive data processing. We attached particular importance to recording all relevant Scope 3 emissions in addition to Scope 1 and Scope 2 and to agree on specific measures with our partners. We are not aiming to simply to count emissions. We want to reduce them effectively and permanently, with our partners, by way secure contracts and scientifically sound methods. By way of our CO₂ roadmap, we have defined a clear path to achieving our goals. The new accreditation underlines that we are serious about this.”
Olivier Jankovec, Director General at ACI EUROPE:
“Berlin Brandenburg Airport’s achievement of Level 4 of Airport Carbon Accreditation reflects a clear commitment to transforming airport operations fully in line with European climate goals and the Paris Agreement. By aiming to reach net zero by 2045 and investing in renewable energy, electrifying ground transport, supporting Sustainable Aviation Fuels and strengthening cooperation with airlines and other partners, the airport is embedding carbon management into its long-term strategy. Congratulations to the entire Berlin Airport team on this important milestone as the very first airport in Germany to achieve that level of carbon performance and management.”
Outlook
FBB is pursuing the goal of reducing 65 percent of its CO₂ emissions by 2030 compared to 2010 and achieving CO₂-neutral operations at BER by 2045 at the latest. Airport Carbon Accreditation provides a transparent, international framework with clear standards and renders progress comparable and verifiable. Among other things, the fifth and highest level of accreditation requires achieving and maintaining reductions in absolute CO₂ emissions (Scope 1 and 2) of at least 90 per cent.