African airlines applaud historic aviation pact on emissions

African Airline Associations (AFRAA) made up of 37 carriers on the continent have lent their support to the landmark agreement to control carbon dioxide (C02) emissions. This agreement was reached at the just concluded 39th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada.

 Secretary General of AFRAA, Dr. Elijah Chingosho stated that “We applaud this deal that was struck after tense negotiations during the last few years.

The AFRAA chief disclosed that the 191 states and the various stakeholders including AFRAA, African Civil Aviation Council (AFCAC) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) worked very hard through the ICAO system and managed to find the necessary compromises to establish the first sectorial deal to reduce CO2 at global level.

To him, African airlines, the aviation industry, other stakeholders as well as African institutions have been consistently advocating a global solution under ICAO’s leadership for several years.

He further disclosed that this is the world’s first climate deal aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from international air travel.

 The deal was overwhelmingly approved on 06 October with 191 countries agreeing to a global market-based measure (GMBM) to control CO2 emissions from aviation.

The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) would complement a range of mitigation measures the air transport industry was already looking at to cut CO2 emissions which includes improved aircraft technology, efficient infrastructure, operational measures at airports and expanded use of sustainable alternative fuels.

The historic agreement is significant because the Paris Agreement, which was reached at last year’s COP21 summit, did not cover aviation and shipping.

This is the first worldwide scheme to address emissions in any single sector. The agreement ensures that the aviation industry can meet its economic and social contributions in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The GMBM will start from 2021 on with a pilot phase until 2023. In the following year, there will be a voluntary first phase until 2026. From 2027 on, the measure will be mandatory for all States, with some exemptions, such as for least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and states with very low levels of international aviation activity which virtually covers almost all African states which advocated differentiated treatment.

Chingosho reiterated that it is heartening to note that those countries that contribute the most to global air transport, including the United States, China, the European Union, Australia and Japan have signed and joining up voluntarily to implement this system.

The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU).

Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April, 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the primary purpose of AFRAA is to foster commercial and technical co-operation among African airlines and to represent their common interests.

AFRAA membership of 37 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.