Brussels South Charleroi Airport achieves Level 4+ of Airport Carbon Accreditation programme

One step closer to Net Zero!

CHARLEROI, September 03, 2025 – One year after achieving level 4 of ACA programme, today Brussels South Charleroi Airport marks another fantastic step forward by achieving level 4+. This accomplishment positions Brussels South Charleroi Airport among the 12% most advanced airports* in the programme in the world when it comes to managing carbon emissions. It confirms and formalises the commitments the airport has made within the context of the environmental permit, including in particular the switch to electric airside vehicles and the implementation of a new waste recycling system. 

The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, owned and governed by ACI Europe, is a global certification programme dedicated to airports. It independently assesses and recognises the efforts made by airports to manage and reduce their CO₂ emissions and allows each airport site to adopt a carbon strategy that fits in with its national or local environment, as well as providing a rigorous framework that permits worldwide comparison. The ACA programme is organised into seven ambitious levels, which airports can aim to achieve in turn.

Significant initiatives

Brussels South Charleroi Airport joined the ACA programme in 2022, immediately achieving level 2. Three years later, it has been awarded the penultimate level, 4+. It is thanks to all sorts of different initiatives implemented by the airport as part of its environmental policy to achieve carbon neutrality, including gradually replacing its airside vehicles with electric alternatives, optimising its use of electricity and heating/ventilation systems, improving waste recycling and management, installing solar panels on the roof of terminal 2 and raising awareness among staff and including them and partners when it comes to small things they can do to reduce CO₂ emissions.

“The progress made by Brussels South Charleroi Airport in the ACA programme is very impressive”, explains Christophe Segaert, CEO of Brussels South Charleroi Airport, “Since it joined in 2022, it has reached a new milestone every year, illustrating an ongoing, well-organised commitment to decarbonisation. By achieving level 4+, Brussels South Charleroi Airport demonstrates that it is every bit as good as the major European airports when it comes to certification and environmental initiatives. This is confirmed by its environmental permit, which was awarded a few weeks ago, which includes Carbon Net Zero by 2030 among its goals.”

Level 4+ of the programme, which Brussels South Charleroi Airport has just achieved, is based on level 4, which involves the absolute reduction in carbon emissions and an extension of the analysis of its ecological footprint beyond its own activities. Level 4+ goes even further, adding one key measure: offsetting direct emissions, as well as those caused by business travel.

Offsetting the remaining emissions

In order to offset carbon emissions, the airport has decided to support two projects that not only reduce the airport’s environmental impact but also help to improve the local economy and social aspects on-site, in other words the 3 pillars of sustainable development.

The wind power project in Karnataka, India, is set to supply electricity for 100,000 people who do not currently have access to this vital resource, thanks to a 60MW wind power project, thus avoiding the emission of 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

For its part, the afforestation project in Uruguay aims to restore more than 18,000 hectares of land damaged by grazing, thanks to reforestation with eucalyptus and pine trees. It supports sustainable wood production, limits erosion, encourages carbon sequestration and contributes to the restoration of degraded ecosystems on Earth.

With level 4+, BSCA consolidates its ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2030 for its direct emissions and its operations, in line with the commitments it has made as part of its environmental permit. It thus stands out as a leading player in environmental matters among airports worldwide. This certification confirms that Brussels South Charleroi remains on the right track, but it is only one step in the process. Many challenges still lie ahead in reducing its carbon footprint while staying focused on sustainable performance in the broadest sense.

*To date, BSCA is one of the 76 highest performing airports when it comes to the airport (level 4+ or 5) out of 638 airports around the world involved in the ACA programme.