Athens “Eleftherios Venizelos” International Airport (AIA) is set to ‘switch off the lights’ for ‘Earth Hour’ between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm this Saturday, March 30, participating in WWF’s global initiative for climate change for the 11th consecutive year.
Specifically, the airport will turn off the lights and stop operating one of its two runways (the western runway 03L/21R and taxiways leading to it) during that time.
There will also be less lighting in the buildings, in staff parking areas and other selected sites within the airport, while the official Earth Hour video will be shown on screens in the central airport and offices to inform and sensitise staff and passengers.
In addition, there will be announcements put up in the airport informing the public about the WWF climate change initiative and AIA’s active participation.
Other companies in the vicinity of the airport, such as the Shell petrol station, Sofitel Hotel, the Factory Outlet and Leroy Merlin stores will also join in.
The temporary closure of the runway will not affect scheduled flights to or from the airport, which will use the east runway instead.
Since 2008 AIA has implemented an annual Climate Change Corporate Action Plan, including participation in a global, voluntary initiative - Airport Carbon Accreditation - that helps airports measure and manage their carbon footprints. In this context, the Airport Company has reduced its carbon footprint by almost 50% since 2005 and zeroed out its carbon footprint entirely since 2015, becoming accredited at the ultimate level of the programme, Neutrality. In addition, AIA re-certified its Energy Management System in 2018 in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 50001 standard.