ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Carbon Emissions Reduction Statement
Donegal Airport recognises the importance of urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency to address the increasing threats of climate change. Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes from Donegal Airport both in the short-term and over the next decades.
Targeted action at Donegal Airport will contribute to emissions reduction across the aviation sector in Ireland, with our partners and in the local region. We must consider our carbon footprint from greenhouse gas emissions, prioritising those over which we have control: our Scope 1 direct emissions Scope 2 Indirect emissions. We will develop a plan to identify and reduce our Scope 3 emissions in alignment with Net Zero.
Donegal Airport commits to an interim target of 51% reduction in total (Scope 1 and 2) emissions by 2030 (relative to a baseline of 2017) and Net Zero emissions no later than 2050, in line with the Government’s Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Our carbon reduction actions will support Donegal County Council’s efforts to decarbonise the local area as per the needs of the Climate Action Plan 2019. These actions will also align with the Donegal County Council 2019 – 2024 Climate Adaptation Strategy which promotes the national policy position of an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels in the energy generation, built environment and transport sectors.
As a first step in the Net Zero journey, Donegal Airport will work in accordance with the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, operated by the Airport Council International, to implement carbon management measures and achieve emissions reductions. To this end, Donegal Airport commits to developing the framework for meeting the ACA programme’s requirements and our wider Environmental Policy. Such actions will allow Donegal Airport to become a sustainable business and integrate carbon emission reduction across the organisation.
How we will deliver these commitments
Our first step in delivering these commitments at Donegal Airport, is the quantification and allocation of our carbon footprint of our airport operations, to enable identification and prioritisation of carbon emission reduction measures that will align with our target. We will ensure responsibility is clearly embedded to implement these carbon reduction measures within appropriate timescales.
For emissions in our supply chain, where we have no direct control, we will look to initiate discussions with our stakeholders to influence the development of appropriate steps to reduce our indirect carbon emissions, in line with our Net Zero target.
Responsibilities
We will measure and review progress against our emissions targets at least every year and report performance through transparent communications within a robust governance system.
Carbon Reduction Actions
- 1.5km runway lighting converted to LED.
- Internal and external lighting converted to LED lighting, set to motion sensors for reduced usage and timed where necessary.
- Rainwater harvesting tank used for water consumption by RFFS training and airport maintenance.
- Solar panels installed in 2023 and power stored for Airport usage.
- Electric vehicles added to ground fleet (Tows tugs, baggage trolley) with more anticipated in the coming year. Any further vehicle purchases will have environmental impact considered
EcoMerit Certification
Donegal Airport operates twice daily scheduled flights to Dublin with worldwide onward connections. We were voted the world’s most scenic approach for the third year in 2020 and our airport is surrounded by protected Natura 2000 sites and a Blue Flag awarded beach. We are committed to protecting this unspoiled natural scenery and natural heritage.
As with all organisations, we recognise that our activities do involve negative environmental impacts. It is our aim to minimise these by;
Complying with environmental law
Measuring and monitoring our environmental performance
Actively seeking to continuously improve our performance
Minimising the risk of pollution from our operations
Encouraging our suppliers, customers & other stakeholders to do likewise
This is reflected in our commitment to 
Environmental Certification.
Our most significant direct environmental impacts arise from the electricity and fuel we consume. To reduce our carbon footprint, we have upgraded our building and runway lighting to LED, installed a solar PV system, purchased electric ground support vehicles, replaced the terminal building roof and are using a heat pump for our hot water and AC for main terminal building heating requirements. Level 1 Airport Carbon Accreditation has been achieved in 2023.
We routinely monitor our electricity, oil and mains water usage and operate a segregation system to ensure our waste is recycled wherever possible and landfill waste is minimised.
In all our activities, we aim to be an environmentally responsible member of the community we serve.
Airport Carbon Accreditation Certification
Donegal Airport has taken its first significant step towards comprehensive carbon management by achieving Level 1 – Mapping of the programme.
This level is achieved through meticulous analysis of CO2 emissions at the airport site and establishing a plan to reduce them.
See our Airport Carbon Accreditation Certificate here.
