March 2017 – Picture by Darren Kidd / Press Eye.
BELFAST, Northern Ireland, 2017-Apr-21 — /Travel PR News/ — George Best Belfast City Airport welcomed members from IEMA to a knowledge sharing event recently on environmental management and corporate responsibility. IEMA is the worldwide alliance of over 14,000 Environment and Sustainability professionals.
The event, led by Belfast City Airport representatives and NATS, the airport’s air traffic control services provider, was aimed at giving IEMA members an insight into the airport’s approach to environmental management and corporate responsibility as well as requirements and initiatives for wildlife and habitat management for safety purposes.
IEMA members were also given the opportunity to hear about NATS’ key sustainability impacts, its targets and policy on climate change and noise and examples of key initiatives, in particular, its award winning Continuous Descent Operations campaign.
Speaking at the event, Laura Duggan, Belfast City Airport Environmental Manager, said:
“We were delighted to welcome IEMA members to the airport, as well as NATS, to take some time to share policies and practices to improve the airport and wider industry’s impact on the environment.
“We are dedicated to implementing our environmental policy, procedures and initiatives to address our environmental impacts.”
Recent initiatives include, reducing energy and carbon through installing low energy (LED) lighting across the terminal building and through better waste management practices, reducing waste to landfill by 25% over the past 3 years. Mindful of the pressures facing biodiversity worldwide, we have developed a Biodiversity Action Plan and signed up to work towards Business in the Community’s Business & Biodiversity Charter.
Laura also discussed the airport’s Community Fund and environmental projects it has supported:
“Since its launch in February 2009, the airport’s Community Fund has invested approximately £300,000 in over 100 local community, educational and environmental projects across Belfast and North Down.
“Projects have included trips for our Adopted Schools to visit a local nature reserve, the creation of eco gardens and becoming key sponsor of the Northern Ireland Best Kept Awards in 2017 to name a few.”
James Deeley, Deputy Head of Environment and Community Affairs at NATS, said:
‘It was a pleasure to share the work NATS is doing to mitigate and reduce aviation fuel burn, emissions and noise. The event clearly evidenced the vast range of environmental management initiatives in place across the breadth of airport activities, which I believe often goes unseen by the public; from active habitat and biodiversity management, to resource efficiency, noise and nuisance, to strong community outreach programmes.”
For more information, please contact environment@bca.aero or visit www.belfastcityairport.com/community for more information on the Community Fund.
SOURCE: Belfast City Airport