Italy is to play a key role in leading the process of decarbonising air transport as part of the World Economic Forum initiative that will focus on how to transform airports into actual “Energy Hubs”, capable of producing, storing and distributing clean energy, and on facilitating the large-scale deployment of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), using advanced technologies and innovative financing tools.
Italy is to play a key role in leading the process of decarbonising air transport as part of the World Economic Forum initiative that will focus on how to transform airports into actual “Energy Hubs”, capable of producing, storing and distributing clean energy, and on facilitating the large-scale deployment of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), using advanced technologies and innovative financing tools. This will see Mundys act as the corporate leader to head “Financing the Airports of Tomorrow”, the cornerstone of the initiative launched by the World Economic Forum and Airports Council International, which aims to identify industrial solutions and hybrid forms of financing that can accelerate airports’ green transition and enable them to achieve net zero by 2050. The initiative has attracted the participation of some of the world’s leading intercontinental airports, including Aeroporti di Roma, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, London Heathrow, Dubai, Hong Kong, Dallas Fort Worth.
Approximately 18,000 civil airports throughout the world will be able to use the guidelines for financing their decarbonisation, to be drawn up as part of the project led by the parent of the Italian infrastructure and integrated mobility group. The guidelines will be officially presented next December during COP 28.
The WEF assigned leadership of the financing pillar based on the holding company’s commitment to sustainable management and development of its infrastructure and sustainable finance practices and the results achieved. From a financial viewpoint, Mundys was one of the first major companies in the mobility and aviation sector to adopt a Sustainable Financing Framework, linking its fundraising to the business objectives and growth targets set out in its Climate Action Plan. The Group Parent has also converted all its bank debt of €3bn into green financing, with movements in the interest rate tied to the achievement of environmental and social goals.
The main business drivers behind the WEF initiative include the deployment of photovoltaic plants to power airports, the installation of EV charging points for airport and passenger vehicles and innovative storage systems. Incentives will also be used to encourage rail-air intermodality, the supply and storage of SAF, the development of Urban Air Mobility using electric drones able to connect airports with city centres and the construction of cycle paths in the areas around airfields.
In financial terms, the “manual” will provide innovative solutions designed to make it easier for airport operators to access capital to fund investment in combating climate change. These new financing tools will involve policymakers and private and public financial institutions (such as the World Bank and the EIB).
Aeroporti di Roma will support Mundys from a technical and industrial point of view in drawing up the “manual”, taking advantage of its leadership in sustainability: ADR was the first airport operator in the world to issue a sustainability linked bond and a green bond, totalling €800m, to finance its infrastructure projects.
The first “Airports of Tomorrow” working group met in Barcelona during the annual Airports Council International meeting.
