Rhône Chamber of Agriculture and VINCI Airports launch first local agricultural project with low carbon "Field Crops" Label
- The Rhône Chamber of Agriculture and Lyon Airports, managed by VINCI Airports, are solidifying their partnership to accelerate the low carbon agricultural transition and enhance territorial resilience in response to climate challenges through an initial program.
- This program involves 13 agricultural farms, members of the GEDA (Group for Agricultural Study and Development) in the Ozon Valley, located near the airport, and will enable the sequestration of 4,000 tons of CO2.
- It aligns with Lyon Airports' ambitious policy to reduce its carbon footprint, particularly through its strategy to locally offset its residual CO2 emissions.
Lyon Airports and the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture initiated a partnership in 2022 aimed at developing local projects for greenhouse gas reduction and sequestration eligible for the Low Carbon Label, using the "Field Crops" method. The goal is to change farming practices on these types of farms (cereals, oilseeds, and grain legumes) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote carbon sequestration in agricultural soils.
This first project is part of VINCI Airports' overall strategy to decarbonize its activities, with all airports striving to minimize CO2 emissions and compensate for residual emissions through local carbon sequestration projects.
Other VINCI Group entities in the Centre-East region have joined this partnership to further the development of Low Carbon Label agricultural projects in the region, thereby addressing their environmental challenges : VINCI Construction, Freyssinet France, and the Building Solutions and nuclear activities of VINCI Energies.
This ambitious program involves 13 cereal farming operations, members of the GEDA in the Ozon Valley, located near Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, covering a large cultivated area of approximately 1,900 hectares. It aims to promote more sustainable agriculture with lower CO2 emissions through the implementation of measures to reduce residual CO2 emissions in soils, including :
- Biomass: Covering fields with plants between crop rotations to capture CO2 in plants and soils sustainably;
- Fertilizers: Reducing nitrogen fertilizer use (which generates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas) and/or using organic fertilizers;
- Fossil Fuels: Reducing emissions related to fuel used by agricultural machinery through no-till direct seeding.
Financial support from project partners will be provided to farmers. Scheduled over five years, with an aim for permanence, this Low Carbon Label project will reduce the carbon footprint of the farms and provide 4,000 tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) compensation for project partners.
Pascal GIRIN, President of the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture :
"This project demonstrates that all stakeholders in the territory can work together to reconcile agricultural, environmental, and economic issues. These issues are often seen as conflicting, but they are complementary. Agricultural operations are essential players in the transition and the future world, nothing will happen without them. This project shows how we can build partnerships between very different companies for the benefit of society as a whole."
Tanguy Bertolus, President of Lyon Airports :
"This innovative project, led by Lyon Airports with the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture and local farmers, complements the reforestation program in Beaujolais undertaken by the airport with the Rhône Department and the National Forestry Office (ONF) to sequester Lyon Airports' residual CO2 emissions by 2026. Moreover, the participation of other VINCI entities in the Centre-East region in this partnership demonstrates the group's ability to work synergistically to achieve its environmental objectives."
About the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture
The Rhône Chamber of Agriculture supports agricultural operations by conducting actions to help them succeed in their profession, meet consumer demands for quality and traceability of products, protect the environment, and ensure the sustainability of agricultural enterprises. It particularly supports the evolution of farming practices.
For more information : Chambre d'agriculture du Rhône
About Lyon Airport
Lyon Airport operates Lyon–Saint Exupéry for commercial aviation and Lyon–Bron, the third-largest business aviation airport in France. As the leading airport in the VINCI Airports network in France, with nearly 9 million passengers in 2022, Lyon-Saint Exupéry offers 120 direct destinations in 2023 and is connected to major international hubs. It is a 30-minute tram-train ride from the city center via Rhônexpress. Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, a center of excellence for VINCI Airports' innovation, provides modern infrastructure and an innovation strategy focused on quality passenger experience and operational excellence for airlines. Certified Level 4+ of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), ISO 14001, and ISO 50001, Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is growing with complete control over its environmental impact.
For more information : Lyon Airport
About VINCI Airports
As the world's leading private airport operator, VINCI Airports manages more than 65 airports in 12 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. With its expertise as a global integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and operates airports, leveraging its investment capacity and know-how to optimize operational performance, modernize infrastructure, and drive their environmental transition. VINCI Airports was the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy in 2016, aiming to achieve net-zero emission across its entire network by 2050.
For more informations : VINCI Airports
