Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) launched the Biodiversity Check Airports, a tool that allows air transport companies to take concrete measures to protect and conserve biodiversity in their operations, which is beneficial both for the environment and for their own long-term sustainability.
Through a public-private partnership, the Biodiversity Check tool is targeted at companies in Central America and the Dominican Republic.
The innovative solution was developed by GIZ in collaboration with the German NGO Global Nature Fund (GNF) as an integral part of the Biodiversity and Business Program (daBio). The program is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU).
This is the first time that the Biodiversity Ckeck Airports program has been applied as a pilot experience worldwide in the airport sector, with Las Americas International Airport (AILA) being the pioneer in its implementation.
Mónika Infante, CEO of Aerodom, highlighted the importance of collaboration to strengthen the environmental program and contribute to the decarbonization of the airport industry.
“This initiative is aligned with the environmental impact reduction goals of the VINCI Group, to which Aerodom belongs,” she said.
Meanwhile, Svenja Paulino, director of the Biodiversity and Business Program, said that “we hope that the launch of the Biodiversity Check Airports will inspire other companies and organizations in the region to commit to biodiversity conservation in Central America and the Dominican Republic. This collaboration between GIZ and Aerodom is an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can effectively contribute to the long-term sustainability and well-being of society and the natural environment”.
The Biodiversity Check Airports is a tool based on the principles of biodiversity conservation integrated into business and its specificity in this case allows companies to demonstrate the dependencies of their airport operation activities in relation to these resources and ecosystem services.
The business tool has been applied by GIZ since 2017, in sectors such as tourism, services, industry, livestock and agricultural production. In the case of the Dominican Republic, a total of 65 Action Plans have been implemented.
In addition, it offers a proposal of indicators and a monitoring plan that facilitate the effective implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan.
Source: Arecoa
