Aviation authority aims to achieve ‘carbon neutral’ status by 2025

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) says it is aiming to become the first semi-State agency to achieve carbon neutral status, by 2025.

The authority on Monday revealed its sustainability management plan to 2025, which was launched in Shannon by Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport. Rose Hynes, the authority's chairwoman, said it needed to "walk the walk … and set an example for the aviation sector".

The plan includes measures designed to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in energy usage by 2030, a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions generated by the authority, and the upgrade of all its buildings to an energy rating of B. These targets have been mandated for all State agencies by the Government.

The carbon generated by all air travel undertaken by employees of the authority, which oversees the management of all air traffic in Ireland, will be offset with measures to save an equal level of emissions.

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Electric fleet

The IAA says it will move towards changing its fleet to electric vehicles “where practicable”. It also aims to reduce waste generated per employee by 50 per cent. It says it also recently managed to ensure that all of its electricity was procured from green energy providers.

The IAA is about to undergo a restructuring that will see the air navigation services function – the day-to-day management of the skies – peeled off into a separate entity.

The rest of the IAA will then subsume the Commission for Aviation Regulation and will have responsibility for licensing, economic regulation such as setting airport charges, safety and security and consumer protection. Legislation to underpin the restructuring is expected to be passed later this year.