Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi
Nigeria will by 2021 join the International Civil Aviation Organisation in the implementation of the pilot phase of the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has said.
The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, made this known on Wednesday at a workshop on the development of states’ action plans on aviation carbon emission mitigation measures and CORSIA for states affiliated to ICAO Western and Central African and the Economic Community of West African States.
The three-day workshop is expected to help participants understand what they need to do for the implementation of the CORSIA as well as become familiar with the emission reduction action plans.
Usman said the country had also developed and submitted its state action plan to ICAO.
“Nigeria has not only developed and submitted its state action plan to ICAO but has also voluntarily notified ICAO that it will join CORSIA implementation from the outset during the pilot phase from 2021 with a view to being on the same page with the rest of the world on emission mitigation measures,” he said.
He said that the role of aviation to economic prosperity and the rapid growth of air travel in recent years had contributed to an increase in total pollution attributable to aviation, and that ICAO had decided to provide leadership to undertake efforts to reduce aviation’s contribution to climate change.
These efforts, he said, included the development of state action plans by member states; the development of basket of measures to address CO2 emissions from international aviation through aircraft technology; operational improvements; sustainable alternative fuel for aviation and a global scheme known as the CORSIA.
Usman said that the seminar was designed to provide national action plans/focal points and aviation industry stakeholders with practical input on the calculation of the CO2 emission baseline and other quantification aspects as well as share information on CORSIA’s design elements and implementation aspects.
“It will also provide the opportunity for states that are present here to share their experiences in the development of action plans and existing readiness to implement CORSIA as well as conduct an assessment of assistance needs,” he said.
“The NCAA is committed to actively provide dynamic, purposeful and imaginative leadership in addressing the challenges posed by emissions from aviation and climate change in our region,” Usman added.
The Secretary General, African Civil Aviation Commission, Ms. Iyabo Sosina, who was represented by the AFCAC Director of Air Transport, Mr. Tefera Mekonnen, said that one of the tasks given to the organisation was to ensure that member states submitted their action plans to ICAO by June 2018.
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