NCAA, Lufthansa Commit To Aviation Sustainability, As Regulator Identifies Implementation Challenges
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in collaboration with Lufthansa Airlines, has reaffirmed unwavering commitment to ensuring sustainability in the aviation sector, even as the regulator has identified key challenges in implementing and scaling sustainability policies within the sector.
This firm commitment was made at the Exclusive Discourse Event organized by Lufthansa Airlines at Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the Director of Air Transport Regulations, NCAA, Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, who was represented by Mrs. Evelyn Tanko, Deputy General Manager, (Commercial Agreement & Aviation Environment), identified key challenges in implementing and scaling sustainability policies within the aviation sector to include fragmented policy environment, limited data and monitoring systems, financing constraints, regulatory & institutional capacity, and awareness, and industry readiness.
She stated that the NCAA is empowered by the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 to regulate environmental issues and to reiterate its commitments to the sustainability of the industry. NCAA has domesticated ICAO Annex 16 on Environmental Protection into the National regulations under Part 16 of Nig. CARS which covers requirements for monitoring, reporting, and verification of CO2 Emissions for international aviation, and Part 5 addresses aircraft noise and emission certification.
The Director highlighted some of the initiatives of the NCAA on the sustainability of the industry. These initiatives include: The development of a State Action Plan on CO2 Emission reduction from international aviation, Nigeria voluntarily joined the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) during its pilot phase in 2018 and has continued to ensure the timely submission of CO2 emission data from airlines under CORSIA and also leading on a Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Roadmap for the development and deployment of SAF in Nigeria.
She added that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is rolling out Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) at major airports ultimately to reduce their carbon emissions and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) has implemented Free Route Airspace (FRA) and Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), making all efforts for the reduction of carbon footprints and towards the sustainability of the industry.
Also speaking at the panel session, the Senior Director (Sales), Lufthansa Sub-Sahara Africa, Mr. Rene Koinzack said that the airline has deployed Science- Based Target Initiatives (SBTI) which comprises modern fleet, efficient flight operations, carbon neutral flying, sustainable aviation fuel, reduction of waste and plastics as part of their effort to sustain the industry.
In conclusion, it was emphasized that airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers, and regulators must all play their roles to promote eco-friendly practices by lowering carbon emissions, improved fuel efficiency, develop alternative energy sources, and enhance operational efficiency for the sustainability of the aviation industry.
