The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku said aviation business was at risk without stakeholders taking collaborative efforts on carbon emissions.
She spoke on Wednesday during the Stakeholder Engagement on Carbon Emission Management which brought together stakeholders in aviation including airline operators, fuel suppliers, Bi-Courtney Aviation Service Limited (BASL), among others.
She stated that FAAN had joined the league of airports all over the world that make efforts to map, report, reduce and manage emissions from their operations through the ACA programme.
@media only screen and (min-width: 992px){#div-vi-1716478739{width:728px !important;height:90px !important}}
“The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) was accredited and certified in 2020by the ACI for correctly mapping and reporting sources of emissions from the airport, according to the principles of the GHG Protocol and the ACA programme.
“It was noted from mapping of emission sources at the airport that more than 80% of the total emissions since 2020 is from electricity consumption!
As part of the intentional and dedicated efforts of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to decarbonise our airport operations, a robust carbon management plan (CMP) was developed for MMIA. It is important to mention that measures included in our CMP are ambitious and capital intensive,” the MD stated.
She added, “The aviation industry contributes about 2% of the total global carbon dioxide emissions out of which airports contribute about 5%. The percentage contributed by airports is not a mere proportion if its potential negative impacts are critically examined.
“The Airports Council International (ACI) developed the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, which is a robust airport-specific carbon management certification program developed in line with ISO 14001 standards and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol.
“Its aims include helping airports all over the world to map, report, reduce and manage carbon emissions from their airport operations with the ultimate goal of net-zero emission. This target will significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the aviation industry, if all hands are on deck.
“Implementation of some of these measures earned the MMIA a full accreditation and certification for Reduction of carbon emissions from the airport by the ACI. The journey ahead of us is still far, as we aim to get higher levels of accreditation and certification in our decarbonization programme.”
The guest speaker and CEO of Aviators Africa Tony Ukachukwu, said Airport carbon emissions posed a significant challenge to the sustainability of the industry.
He stated that Nigeria’s air transport sector contributes approximately 1.4 per cent to the national GDP, adding over 20m transit through Nigerian airports globally and said the African region is not yet connected with air travel.
He stated that collaboration among stakeholders was essential for emission reduction, adding that benefits of collaboration include improved emission reduction outcomes, increased innovation, and enhanced reputation.
Representatives of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), among others said collaboration was imperative to reduce carbon emission in the aviation sector.
NAMA Managing Director, Engr. Umar Farouk represented by his technical adviser, Jibrin Haske stated that NAMA recognized the importance of balancing the growth of air transportation with the need to protect the environment.
“We remain fully committed to ensuring that our air navigation services not only guarantee safety and efficiency but also contribute significantly to the reduction of aviation emissions.
On his part, the Ag. Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) represented by Engr. Daniel Lawrence, Dean Aircraft Maintenance Engineering School said, “As we face the challenges of climate change, it is imperative that we adopt sustainable practices to ensure the long-term viability of the aviation industry and its minimal impact on the environment.”
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
