Aeroports de la Cote d'Azur is initiating an unprecedented forest reforestation program at the heart of the cote d'azur region

Despite the negative effects of the health crisis on its airport activities, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur has decided to protect its investment capacity with regards to environmental conservation. In light of this, and in accordance with the commitments of its Cap 2030 program, which aims to make Nice Côte d’Azur airport a non-emissive airport within 10 years, the Group is committed to the gradual reforestation of the Maralpin region.

Therefore, and for the very first time in France, a tripartite agreement was signed between the airport company, two local towns (Saint-Césaire-sur-Siagne and Carros) and the National Forestry Office. As a result, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur is committed to financing the acquisition of tree seedlings, their planting and their maintenance over a period of 30 years.

More specifically, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur will finance the reforestation of 2.6 hectares in the town of Carros this month, where nearly 5 hectares of forest was burnt down in July 2017. This first step represents a volume of 2,080 plants (green oaks, downy oaks and various types of sorbus hardwoods). The Group will also reforest 0.5 hectares (using 500 cedar plants) in the town of Saint-Césaire-sur-Siagne, in the immediate vicinity of Cannes-Mandelieu airport, which it also manages. In total, this operation represents a budget of 70,000 euros, which will increase to 100,000 per year as of 2021, excluding maintenance costs, which are mechanically increased each year, also at the airport manager’s expense.

“Preserving our region has been our top priority for many years. Thus, we were the first airport in France to achieve carbon neutrality by 2016. Today, we are continuing our efforts, despite the current pandemic situation, and are committed to a multi-year forest reforestation program within our region’s local towns. The first trees planted this winter will be followed by many more over the next few years”, says Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board at Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.

According to the Group’s projected investment plan, over the next 10 years it could participate in the reforestation of more than 80% of the available communal forest areas in the Alpes-Maritimes. In 2030, the volume of trees planted will have captured about 300 tons of CO2 equivalent, in other words, the platform’s residual emissions.