SITA, the IT provider for the air transport industry and Palermo Falcone Borsellino International Airport have announced a new partnership to trial, over an initial four-month period, a unique solution that aims to cut airport emissions significantly.
According to one scientific study, more than 97% of local annual emissions at an airport are from flight arrivals and departures. These Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions typically represent the largest source of emissions for most organisations. Organisations do not directly control Scope 3 emissions because they relate to the value chain; therefore, they are the most challenging scope of emissions to quantify, report and address.
SITA has developed a new emission management capability in response to these industry challenges; SITA Emissions Manager leverages the SITA Airport Management solution to enable Palermo Airport to monitor and optimise selected Scope 3 emissions, including during landing and take-off cycles. The initiative will integrate various emission datasets to help the airport make informed decisions to drive greater efficiency in apron operations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The trial will also assess the benefits of using SITA Emissions Manager to optimise other Scope 3 emission sources at the airport, such as aircraft turnaround and ground vehicles.
With increasing environmental pressure on aviation to take more immediate and increased action to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, as reflected in the recent COP26 – the 2021 United Nations global climate summit – the industry is taking steps to speed up its decarbonisation.
Following a strong partnership between SITA and Palermo Airport spanning more than ten years, the launch of this new trial supports the mutual goals of both organisations. SITA has committed to supporting the air transport industry reduce its carbon footprint. Palermo Airport is decarbonising its operations through ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. Over 2018 and 2019, the airport has already reduced its carbon emissions – from 0.71 kilograms of CO2 per passenger to 0.67 – by adopting renewable energy. The airport has set a target to reach 0.60 kilograms of CO2 per passenger by 2023.
