A collaborative approach to environmental management

For many years, operational stakeholders at airports have made significant efforts to address the environmental impacts that are caused by air traffic and airport operations. However, our industry is capable of doing even more.

As a result, and in response to requests from stakeholders and industry for a collaborative approach in addressing these challenges, EUROCONTROL has developed the Collaborative Environmental Management (CEM) concept. This has been done with the active participation of airport and aircraft operators, air traffic service providers, as well as trade associations.

CEM promotes a collaborative approach between all the actors at an airport, so that they can find collective ‘environment’ solutions that take account of all the interdependencies between them and so that they can realise the maximum potential for the sustainable growth of the airport. CEM also helps the airport to have a robust and transparent dialogue with external stakeholders.

In this way, CEM can support the realisation of the Single European Sky’s objective on the sustainable development of the air transport system.

To facilitate the implementation of CEM, EUROCONTROL has developed a draft Specification – a reference document on which the CEM activities at an airport can be based. Adoption of the Specification is voluntary and it has been designed so that CEM can be adapted to local circumstances. However, for the stakeholders wishing to adopt CEM, there are certain requirements which are mandatory. For these stakeholders the draft Specification therefore provides a practical guide, setting out both mandatory requirements and also recommended practices.

On 24th September EUROCONTROL launched a public consultation process for the draft Specification so that all States, stakeholders and interested parties can express their formal views on the draft document. The closing date is 29th November 2013.