Nosa Aituamen
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Lufthansa Airlines have jointly reaffirmed their strong dedication to ensuring environmental sustainability within the aviation sector.
This commitment was stressed at an Exclusive Discourse Event hosted by Lufthansa in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Director, Air Transport Regulations, NCAA, Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, reiterated the authority’s mandate under the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, to regulate environmental concerns.
Mrs. Babaoye-Iriobe represented by the Deputy General Manager for Commercial Agreement & Aviation Environment, Mrs. Evelyn Tanko, further elaborated on the NCAA’s proactive steps, including the domestication of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 16 on Environmental Protection into national regulations.
This incorporation, she said, under Part 16 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARS), establishes requirements for the monitoring, reporting, and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation.
While Part 5 of the regulations addresses aircraft noise and emission certification.
The DATR outlined several key initiatives spearheaded by the NCAA to foster sustainability within the industry.
These include the development of a State Action Plan aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from international flights.
She added that, Nigeria has also voluntarily participated in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) since its pilot phase in 2018, consistently ensuring the timely submission of airline emissions data under the scheme.
Furthermore, the NCAA is taking a leading role in the development of a Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Roadmap for Nigeria.
She also noted the contributions of other key aviation agencies, stating that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is implementing the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) at major airports to decrease their carbon footprint.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), she added, has implemented Free Route Airspace (FRA) and Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), all contributing to the reduction of carbon footprints and the overall sustainability of the industry.
Despite these advancements, Mrs. Babaoye-Iriobe identified key challenges in implementing and scaling sustainability policies, including a fragmented policy environment, limited data and monitoring systems.
Others are, financial constraints, regulatory and institutional capacity limitations, and the need for increased awareness and industry readiness.
The Senior Director of Sales for Lufthansa Sub-Sahara Africa, Mr. Rene Koinzack, emphasized the airline’s commitment through the deployment of Science-Based Target Initiatives (SBTI).
These initiatives encompass a modern fleet, efficient flight operations, the pursuit of carbon-neutral flying, the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels, and efforts to reduce waste and plastics.
The discourse emphasized the crucial roles of airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers, and regulators in collectively promoting environmentally friendly practices.
These include lowering carbon emissions, improving fuel efficiency, developing alternative energy sources, and enhancing operational efficiency to ensure the long-term sustainability of the aviation industry.