The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched the IATA Environmental Assessment for Airports and Ground Service Providers (IEnvA for Airports and GSPs) as part of its overall sustainability initiatives.

IATA said the IEnvA for Airports and GSPs is an expansion of the successful IEnvA for Airlines.

IEnvA programs enable participants to build robust environmental management plans with continual performance improvements.

IATA noted that some 50 airlines are part of the IEnvA program, with 34 of them fully certified while the others are in the process.

In the announcement, it said Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is the first participant in the expanded IEnvA and will play a leadership role as the value chain aligns to ensure a sustainable future for air transport. 

"IEnvA has a solid track record of improving the environmental performance of airlines. As the aviation industry is committed to improving sustainability, including achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the expansion of IEnvA to airports and GSPs is critical," said Sebastian Mikosz, IATA's senior vice president for environment and sustainability. 

"With Edmonton International Airport's pioneering participation in the expanded program, we have a clear signal that the industry's sustainability commitments are being actioned in a systematic results-oriented approach across the value chain."

Myron Keehn, VP, of Air Service, Business Development, ESG and Stakeholder Relations, Edmonton International Airport, tagged the program as a "significant milestone" for airports' sustainability efforts around the world.

"We are proud to be a part of the movement towards a sustainable future for aviation. IATA's Environmental Assessment Program has supported the sustainability narrative across the aviation industry, and we are excited to be the first airport involved in expanding this program as we continue to prioritize ESG, innovation and forward-thinking solutions to airport operations and strategic partnerships," Keehn added.

IEnvA is an Environmental Management System based on standards and best practices that were built in collaboration with airlines, airports, ground service providers, IATA and sustainability experts.

It complies with ISO14001 (Environmental Management) requirements and uses IATA's decade-long expertise with safety auditing (IOSA) for oversight, governance and quality control. 

The IEnvA for Airports and GSPs will make use of tried-and-tested IEnvA oversight, governance, and quality control processes and will include the provision of standards and recommended practices, training access, readiness workshops and external assessment. 

As the pioneering airport in the IEnvA for Airports and GSPs, YEG will work with IATA to establish the IEnvA Standards for Airports and guidance material to broadly improve performance in areas such as emissions, waste, water, noise, energy, and biodiversity.

As with IEnvA for Airlines, upon a successful independent assessment, YEG and other successful entities will be included in the IEnvA Certification Registry.