For sustainable aviation in Asia, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has become the first airport on the continent to attain the Level 5 Airport Carbon Accreditation, the highest distinction for carbon management under the Airports Council International (ACI) programme.
This milestone, certified effective from 5 May 2024, positions the southern Indian gateway as a regional pioneer in climate action and operational decarbonisation. The recognition comes as aviation stakeholders worldwide grapple with the urgent need to decarbonise a sector traditionally reliant on high emissions and resource-intensive infrastructure.
Located approximately 40 kilometres from the city centre, the airport, operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited, has systematically reduced its greenhouse gas footprint, achieving a 95.6 per cent cut in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. These categories account for direct emissions from fuel combustion and company-owned assets, as well as indirect emissions from electricity and energy procurement. Remarkably, the airport reached net-zero status for these categories seven years ahead of its original 2030 target, making it a reference point for ambitious climate-forward infrastructure in the Global South.
This progress did not come in isolation but was the culmination of deliberate strategy and innovation across airport systems. The airport authority invested significantly in renewable energy adoption, ensuring that operations are increasingly powered by solar infrastructure spread across the premises. Energy efficiency upgrades via advanced building management systems and the deployment of electric mobility within airside and landside operations have contributed meaningfully to this reduction. These measures have been reinforced with robust water conservation protocols, biodiversity preservation strategies, and waste-to-resource circularity, aligning with both national and global sustainability goals.
The achievement was officially recognised at the ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regional Assembly held in New Delhi, a fitting backdrop that underscored India’s rising prominence in the global climate dialogue. Bengaluru Airport’s latest recognition is more than a feather in its cap; it redefines how airports in emerging economies can balance growth with responsible stewardship. The airport has already become a critical hub in South India, supporting over 40 per cent of the region’s air cargo throughput and connecting millions of passengers to domestic and international destinations each year. What sets this development apart is not just the compliance with sustainability metrics, but the cultural shift it represents within infrastructure governance. By embedding environmental sensitivity into its core operations, the airport demonstrates that green development is no longer a futuristic ideal, but an immediate and tangible responsibility.
This example offers a roadmap not just for Indian aviation, but for the entire region’s transport infrastructure, which must increasingly reconcile expansion with ecological accountability. As Bengaluru continues to establish itself as an urban and economic powerhouse, this milestone reinforces its commitment to building an equitable, gender-neutral, and low-carbon urban future. It signals that climate-resilient infrastructure is not a luxury for high-income nations alone but a viable and necessary pursuit for emerging economies determined to lead responsibly. With this recognition, Bengaluru Airport stands not just as a gateway to the city but as a symbol of its climate ambition.
Bengaluru Airport achieves carbon neutral milestone
