Leeds Bradford Airport hits sustainability milestone after securing new Carbon Accreditation status

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has officially achieved Level 4 status in the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) scheme.

It marks a significant step forward in the Yeadon-based airport’s evolution into a modern, responsible, and future-ready gateway for Yorkshire.

The achievement forms a core pillar of LBA’s recently launched ‘Together for Tomorrow’ strategy, which outlines a comprehensive roadmap to reach Net Zero carbon emissions for airport operations by 2030.

The Level 4 accreditation signifies a fundamental shift in how an airport manages its carbon footprint. Unlike previous levels that focus primarily on an airport’s own direct emissions, Level 4 requires airports to align their carbon management with the targets of the Paris Agreement and actively drive emissions reductions from third-party partners, including airlines, ground handlers, and transport providers.

Vincent Hodder, Chief Executive Officer of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “Achieving Level 4 accreditation is a powerful validation of the work we are doing through our Together for Tomorrow strategy. It isn’t just about what we do within our own terminal walls; it’s about our role as a leader in the regional economy.

“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to transforming the way we operate and collaborating deeply with our partners to ensure that the future of aviation in Yorkshire is sustainable.

The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, owned and governed by ACI EUROPE, is the only global certification scheme for airports focused on carbon management.

It independently assesses how airports measure, manage and reduce their CO₂ emissions, providing a robust and internationally recognised framework. With seven progressive levels, airports work step-by-step towards achieving Net Zero, with each level representing greater ambition and impact.

In February, LBA announced it had submitted a new CLEUD (Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development) application last month, which seeks to establish the lawfulness of take-offs and landings at the airport at night by certain types of aircraft.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, added: “Congratulations to the entire Leeds Bradford Airport team on the achievement of Level 4 within Airport Carbon Accreditation. This level of accreditation means the airport's carbon management strategy and practices are fully aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

“At Level 4, Leeds Bradford Airport is also working even more closely with all the companies carrying out their activities on the airport site to drive decarbonisation across the board. With concrete steps in place to reduce their own carbon footprint such as on-site renewable energy generation, the airport is setting a clear path towards net zero emissions under its control by 2030. Keep up the good work.”

The Level 4 achievement comes as LBA is making significant progress on LBA:REGEN, its most transformative period in decades including a fundamental transformation and extension of the terminal building and £200m of private investment in the region.

They have also partnered with Freshwave to improve connectivity and deliver reliable 4G mobile coverage from all of the UK mobile network operators to its refurbished terminal and newly opened extension. This includes baggage reclaim, new food and beverage areas and retail outlets including World Duty Free.

The airport recently came under fire from climate campaigners The Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) who later spoke out against the site’s latest planning application, branding attempts to increase night time flying as “irresponsible.”