Entrance leading to Terminal 2 of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport | CDN Digital Photo by Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has pledged to achieve net-zero by 2050 as part of its plans to becoming a sustainable gateway.
Executives of MCIA’s two operators – Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) and Aboitiz GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) on Wednesday, October 16 entered into an agreement with the Airports Council International (AIC) for their “Greener MCIA” campaign.
The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize MCIA’s commitment on achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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Present in the ceremonial signing are Stefano Baronci, Director General, Airports Council International Asia Pacific & Middle East, Athanasios Titonis, CEO, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Julius Neri Jr., general manager at MCIAA.
Baronci signed the MoU on behalf of AIC while Titonis for MCIA, with Neri witnessing the signing.
The partnership will allow MCIA to learn and adapt best sustainable practices from airports affiliated with AIC worldwide.
“We want to make sure the airport invests money and time in defining and applying (sustainable practices) that are globally applied,” said Baronci.
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Wednesday’s event also made MCIA as the first airport in the country on making the Climate Pledge that aligns with the Paris 2015 Climate Agreement.
The Paris agreement calls for capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above levels in the late 19th century, when burning fossil fuels began to seriously heat up the planet.
Titonis said part of their immediate plans in achieving net-zero would be to prioritize solar energy and waste management.
Presently, solar energy supplies around 10 percent of MCIA’s power but Titonis revealed they wanted to increase it in the next two to three years.
He also revealed that they would be improving waste management measures.
“These are the two achievements (we want to reach) in the next two to three years,” said Titonis.
In the meantime, airport executives expressed optimism that MCIA would be able to achieve its goal of eliminate its carbon emissions by roughly 26 years from now.
“This is an uncharted territory for all plus we don’t know the cost but we will commit,” said Neri. / with reports from Agence France-Presse