As the aviation industry faces mounting pressure to deliver on its climate promises, 2026 marks a defining year for accelerating the sector’s sustainability transition, writes Alexandre de Joybert, Director of Sustainability, ACI EUROPE.
As the aviation sector charts its course toward 2050 and beyond, 2026 will be a pivotal year for accelerating delivery on sustainability commitments. Despite recent headwinds facing sustainability on the political front, it remains a defining priority for the aviation sector. While public debate around the cost and pace of climate action grows louder, airports continue to advance steadily – reducing emissions, investing in renewables, and delivering measurable progress toward net zero.
Under ACI EUROPE’s Net Zero Resolution – adopted in 2019 and renewed every year since then with more airports joining – and through the evolving framework of Airport Carbon Accreditation, airports are delivering measurable results and embedding decarbonisation across every facet of their operations. Yet they continue to face significant financial, regulatory and technical challenges that demand coordinated action, innovative design and stronger collaboration across the entire aviation ecosystem.
Progress you can measure
When ACI EUROPE first launched its Net Zero 2050 Resolution in 2019, it marked a defining moment for airport climate action. Since then, the resolution has been renewed every year, with more airports joining and strengthening their commitments. By mid-2025, 314 airports across 36 European countries representing 87% of the continent’s passenger traffic had published detailed net zero roadmaps, aiming to reach net zero by 2050. 122 of these airports have set even more ambitious targets, aiming to achieve net zero by 2030 or earlier. These are verified blueprints for fully decarbonising operations under airports’ direct control.