Stuttgart Airport is to achieve its 2050 climate target ten years earlier. This was decided by the management and supervisory board of Stuttgart Airport. The state airport plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to an absolute minimum by 2040 in order to contribute to achieving the state’s climate targets. To reach the ambitious new goal, the airport has adapted its original Climate and Energy Master Plan 2050. The required climate actions must now be implemented much quicker to reach so-called net greenhouse gas neutrality as early as 2040.
Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg and chairman of Stuttgart Airport’s supervisory board: ‘With the fairport strategy, the airport has already been taking responsibility for climate protection for many years and is consistently implementing the strategy, for example by electrifying the apron fleet or through landing fees. In its coalition agreement, the state government declared that it wants to develop Stuttgart Airport into Germany’s first climate-neutral airport – the STRzero. We are working together on this with great commitment.’
Walter Schoefer, spokesman of Stuttgart Airport’s management board: ‘Our contribution to the energy transition should be substantial and really make a difference. We will therefore avoid or reduce almost all our emissions. Only the small remainder is to be brought to net zero through carbon neutralization.’
The holistic carbon concept covers the areas of energy efficiency and generation, smart grids, as well as mobility and transport. According to the calculations, the most important lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the ambitious climate target is to consistently upgrade the energy performance of operational buildings through refurbishments. This includes the airport terminals in particular. Some of them are over 30 years old. Among other actions, Stuttgart Airport plans to expand solar energy plants on the entire airport campus and to install further charging infrastructure.
In comparison to total emissions of air traffic, airport operations are only responsible for a small share. For this reason, Stuttgart Airport is supporting the transformation process of air traffic toward zero emission flights, for instance through research funding.
