The Gatwick Airport’s progress on series of sustainability targets and shows that Gatwick is using less water, electricity and gas, emits less carbon and gets more passengers to the airport.
The ten targets that make up the Decade of Change report are set over a ten year period (2010 to 2020).
This year’s Decade of Change reports on the half way point (2015), with progress achieved so far including:
- • Carbon emissions cut by 32.6%
- • Energy used cut by 16.6%
- • No operational waste sent to landfill, with 49% recycled
- • 56% of airport’s 21,000 strong workforce lives in the local community
- • In 2015, Gatwick spent £71.4 million with local suppliers
- • In 2015, Gatwick sponsored 32 community events, distributed £200,000 among local causes and raised £175,000 for local charities
Annual nitrogen dioxide levels on the airfield also fell from 31 to 28 micrograms per cubic metre in 2015 – almost a third below the legal limit of 40. Gatwick has never breached EU and UK annual air quality limits and has enough headroom to remain within legal limits with a second runway.
Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said:“Taken together the Decade of Change targets demonstrate the airport’s commitment to the local environment and also our determination to be the best neighbour possible.
“Teams across Gatwick have strived to achieve, and in some cases exceed, these ambitious sustainability targets. It is testament to the hard work of our staff that we have come so far so quickly, and remain on track to become the UK’s most sustainable airport.
“Air quality is central to the expansion debate and today’s results show that Gatwick continues to stay well within legal limits. The choice is obvious. Choose Gatwick and the UK gets a new runway, or go for Heathrow and illegal levels of pollution stall airport expansion yet again.â€
The Decade of Change report comes just weeks after Gatwick became one of just a handful of UK organisations to simultaneously hold triple certification to the Carbon Trust Standard for achieving ongoing reductions in carbon emissions and water use, and improving waste management.
For more information contact:
Gatwick Airport press office
t: + 44 (0) 1293 505000
e: gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations in 90 countries for more than 40 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South East region, generating around 21,000 on-airport jobs and a further 10,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
The Government has indicated it will make a decision this year on whether Gatwick airport should be expanded. Gatwick’s second runway will deliver the UK the same number of passengers, the same number of long haul routes, better UK and regional connections, and the economic boost the UK needs, all at a dramatically lower environmental impact, at less than half the cost of Heathrow, and with no public subsidy. Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com
