HONG KONG - Hong Kong International Airport was awarded the Airport Carbon Accreditation "Optimization" certificate Friday, which turned it to be the first and only airport in the Asia-Pacific to achieve this standard.

The certificate was awarded by the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific's Regional Director Patti Chau to Airport Authority Chairman Marvin Cheung at a ceremony here.

Officiating at the ceremony, Secretary for Transport & Housing Prof Anthony Cheung said the accreditation is an important milestone towards a sustainable future.

"Environmental protection has always been an integral aspect of the airport's development, and this is also one of the policy priorities of the new government, so it is rewarding to see the airport become a pioneer in the Asia-Pacific region and an exemplar of environmental excellence," he said.

The Airport Authority said the airport reduced carbon intensity by nearly 14 percent in the last two years, and is on track to meet the goal it set in 2010 of a 25 percent reduction by 2015 on 2008 emission levels.

Airport Carbon Accreditation was initially launched in June 2009 and expanded to the Asia-Pacific in November 2011. As the only institutionally-endorsed carbon management certification standard for airports, the program independently assesses airports with four progressive levels of accreditation, including "Mapping", "Reduction", "Optimization" and "Neutrality".