IGA Istanbul Airport's 2023 Sustainability Report Released
According to the 2023 Sustainability Report of İGA Istanbul Airport, energy efficiency initiatives have led to a 10.7% reduction in energy consumption, while emissions have decreased by 25.6% compared to the 2019 baseline year. İGA Istanbul Airport is preparing to take another significant step towards reducing its emissions through its greenhouse gas (GHG) investment as part of its 2050 Net Zero Roadmap.
With its investments in environmental sustainability, İGA Istanbul Airport has been recycling 34.66% of its waste and sourcing 35% of its water from recycled sources. The airport continues its efforts to reduce the emissions of its stakeholders, promoting the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
With a mission of "Our Focus is the World, Our Target is the Future," İGA Istanbul Airport remains committed to taking determined and responsible steps toward a sustainable future, as evidenced by the publication of its 2023 Sustainability Report. The report, prepared using double materiality analysis, highlights the steps taken in accordance with sustainable mobility strategies and outlines İGA's environmental, social, and economic contributions.
Focusing on reducing the carbon footprint and resource usage while integrating air transport with other modes of transportation, İGA Istanbul Airport achieved record numbers in flights and passenger counts in 2023, decreasing energy consumption by 10.7% and emissions by 25.6% compared to the baseline year.
To manage the risks posed by climate change, including extreme weather events, the airport has initiated a three-year study in collaboration with TÜBİTAK. The project aims to analyze historical meteorological data to develop scenarios for managing risks and implementing preventative measures.
By 2050, İGA Istanbul Airport aims to achieve a "Net Zero Emissions" goal, targeting absolute reductions of 45% by 2030 and 73% by 2040 for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
Cooperating with partners in its ecosystem to reduce emissions, İGA Istanbul Airport supports the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) since 2022, with the national carrier Turkish Airlines continuing to operate weekly flights using SAF. Research is also ongoing for the use of hydrogen-based fuels.
By 2030, the aim is to recycle 50% of waste back into the economy. İGA Istanbul Airport, known for its successful waste management efforts since its opening, achieved a 34.66% recycling rate in 2023, with plans to increase this to 50% by 2030. Additionally, the airport has reduced its water footprint per passenger by 5% by sourcing 30% of its water from recycled sources.
İGA Istanbul Airport plans to meet all its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050. It is set to take a significant step in emissions management with a 200 MW solar power plant currently under construction in Eskişehir, scheduled to be operational in 2025.
The CEO of İGA Istanbul Airport, Selahattin Bilgen, noted that the 2023 Sustainability Report reiterates the airport's commitment to environmental, economic, and social responsibility. He stated that efforts to conserve resources, reduce environmental impact, and create positive value for society will continue in the coming years.
Bilgen commented: "At İGA Istanbul Airport, preserving the integrity of the environment and our resources is one of our top priorities. In this context, we recycle 35% of the airport's waste thanks to our waste separation infrastructure. Our goal is to increase this rate, which is already above the global average, to 50% by 2030.
One of the cornerstones of our sustainability strategy is our investment in human resources. Adopting a 'positive value creation' approach for our guests, community, and employees, we continue to create value through accessibility initiatives for our guests, social investment programs for the local population, and training partnerships under İGA Academy aimed at our employees’ development. In 2023, we provided 32 hours of training per employee, totaling 264,773 hours, contributing to the development of all our employees.
Since 2016, our active Social Investment Program has focused on areas such as local skills development, community empowerment, the integration of women into socio-economic life, and support for youth. In this context, in 2023, İGA successfully completed the Beekeeping Rehabilitation and Development Project in villages neighboring the airport. Through such initiatives, the airport aims to create social benefits that accompany sustainable developments.
Other social projects carried out by İGA Istanbul Airport include the Newton Flight Academy, the Women’s Touch Children's Heart - Knitted Dolls Project, İGA ART, and İGA Academy. Additionally, the airport continues to support local schools to improve educational services, assist vulnerable groups including passengers with disabilities, and promote diversity and inclusion.
By providing seamless connectivity on a global scale, we also contribute significantly to the Turkish economy. In 2023, the contribution of our direct and indirect economic activities to Turkey's national income was $24.2 billion (2.2% of GDP), clearly demonstrating the economic impact of our airport.”