Delhi’s international airport aims to achieve ‘net-zero’ emissions by 2030

The Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi aims to achieve a net-zero carbon emission target by 2030, much ahead of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2050 target adopted by major global industries.

The airport, managed by GMR-led consortium Delhi International Airport Limited, made the announcement during the ‘Delivering the Net Zero Airport of the Future’ session at the COP26 Action Hub in Glasgow.

The airport authority plans to lower its carbon footprint by adopting pollution control systems and precautions. It will develop green infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging facility, advanced fuel hydrant system, and energy efficient lighting system.

It has already introduced several programmes, renewable energy usage and several passenger connectivity networks, to operate the business in a sustainable manner. The airport expanded its environment-friendly infrastructure with an electric vehicle charging centre, water treatment plant, and sewage treatment plant.

The authorities, however, will have their work cut out considering the airport’s scale of operations. In November, the Indira Gandhi International Airport became the seventh busiest in the world with 30.87 lakh passing through, reports said.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is embarking on a strong environment progress journey with an aim to become a ‘net-zero carbon emission airport’ by 2030. #TransformingIndia pic.twitter.com/wl4xLzW0C5

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) November 29, 2021

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global net human-caused carbon dioxide emissions need to fall around 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050 to cap global warming at 1.5°C, the objective stated in the Paris Agreement. Total emission of greenhouse gases must be zero between 2063 and 2068.

It said any remaining emissions would have to be balanced out by removing carbon dioxide from the air. Despite 192 countries committing to cap global warming at 1.5°C as part of the Paris Agreement, progress has been slow.

During the 26th Conference of Parties climate conference in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 — two decades later than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s proposed 2050 threshold. He also promised to reduce emissions by a billion tonnes by 2030.