OREANDA-NEWS. Continuing its role as a global leader in environmental management, Denver International Airport on Sunday became one of the first North American airports to sign on to the Airport Carbon Accreditation program.

Airport Carbon Accreditation is an independent program launched by Airports Council International-Europe in 2009 to provide a common framework for airports to reduce their climate change impacts while also reducing operational costs and improving efficiencies. The program will become available to North American airports for the first time in 2015, and DIA has committed to being one of the first airports in the country to pursue certification under the internationally recognized program.

"Denver International Airport was built with sustainability in mind, and for nearly two decades the airport's environmental programs have been a model for the industry," said airport CEO Kim Day. "Today, we are continuing that legacy by committing ourselves to even higher standards of environmental stewardship that will further reduce our carbon emissions and invest in green initiatives that are financially viable and protect our natural assets."

Airport Carbon Accreditation requires airports to measure their CO2 emissions and to have those emissions verified by an independent third party. Participating airports then work to reduce on-site activities that contribute to carbon emissions, such as installing energy-efficient lighting, using green energy sources, investing in alternative-fuel vehicles, working with partner agencies to reduce runway taxiing times, and more.

There are currently 103 certified airports globally - 86 in Europe, 16 in Asia-Pacific, and one in Africa.

"Reducing greenhouse gas emissions makes good business sense," said Scott Morrissey, DIA's director of environmental programs. "As we demonstrate DIA's environmental leadership, we will also be reducing long-term operating costs and reducing local air pollution. DIA was the first airport in the U.S. to implement a comprehensive environmental management system, and we're proud to be among the first airports in North America to seek Airport Carbon Accreditation certification."

DIA formalized the agreement on Sunday at the ACI-North America annual conference in Atlanta.