site.btaFloodings Pose Biggest Risk to Sofia Airport

Floodings are the biggest climate change risk to Sofia Airport, experts from the operator SOF Connect and Munich Airport International said on Wednesday at a discussion on sustainable air transport. The event is part of the programme of the Bulgarian pavilion at the COP29 Baku climate conference and was organized by the Transport Ministry.

Sofia Airport is located close to the Iskar River, the groundwater level is also high and the combination of these factors increases the risk to the airline industry from flooding, which is also the main risk associated with climate change, and at national level. The hazards are flooding of terminals and runways, and underground flooding.

During the summer period, rising temperatures make it difficult to cool the terminals, prevent ventilation and lead to higher energy consumption. In winter, against the backdrop of climate change, icing is an increasingly common problem as snowfall decreases - this year alone there have already been ten consecutive days of freezing, requiring more action to de-ice facilities and machinery, delaying aircraft preparation for flight and also putting passengers at risk of slipping. These findings are contained in the 2023 Climate Risk Assessment on the physical risks of climate change, said Antoaneta Stoyanova, Director of Sustainable Development at SOF Connect.

These risks have been taken into account in the airport expansion and modernization, said architect Boyan Mitov of the airport operator.

Modern drainage systems, energy efficient buildings, connectivity to public transport, and construction of its own photovoltaic plant by 2026 are part of the plans for the facility to become a five-star airport and a regional hub, he said.

Other developments include the switch to a fleet of electric service vehicles, the shutdown of Terminal 1's diesel-fired heating system, and an electric bus to link Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Sofia Airport has been participating in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme since 2016 and reached the fourth of five levels of the scheme in 2024, meaning it has a roadmap to achieve net zero, said Michael Obermeier, a consultant at Munich Airport International.

Once the planned Terminal 3 is operational, the building at Terminal 1 will stop working, but will be preserved - possible options are to house offices or an aviation museum, Stoyanova added.

As part of Bulgaria's overall strategy for sustainable transport, the use of sustainable aviation fuel is expected to start by 1 January 2025, with efforts currently focused on delivering such fuel to the airport and storing it separately from other fuel, Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Zhivko Petrov said. Similar programmes are being developed for maritime transport, he added.