The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Wednesday joined the global community to commemorate the third International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies tagged: “The Air We Share”, calling for collective action to advocate, accelerate and activate climate-smart solutions for Net-Zero emission footprint.
The NCAA is however set to launch its Fly2Green Nigeria Program which is an initiative of the authority “to drive collective net-zero accountability and eco-citizens responsibility.”
The initiative was also to tackle environmental pollution and climate change through green aviation market-based measures that promote eco-advocacy, eco-citizenship, eco-volunteerism, eco efficiency, eco-nnovation, eco-finance, eco-health insurance, eco-tourism and ecosystem conservation schemes to boost the contribution of national and regional aviation sector towards the achievement of a 1.5°C future in Nigeria and Africa.”
Through its incentive-based green travel program and robust voluntary carbon emissions reduction scheme, Fly2Green Nigeria is designed to map out a decarbonization strategy for the Nigeria Aviation Industry, domesticate the National Policy on Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) and implement strategic partnerships with relevant Green, Blue and Circular Economy.
According to the CAA, stakeholders would also launch the first Clean Air-Blue Skies Advocacy Program in Nigeria tagged “Clean2Breathe Nigeria” – a ‘Zero Air Pollution’ advocacy campaign to boost local air quality against SLCPs
The aviation regulatory authority in a statement stated that collective action requires collaborative efforts from businesses, communities, civil society, academia, policymakers and government to achieve the zero-emission programme.
The NCAA noted that air pollution is both a climate impact and health impact issue that transcends and permeates national borders, posing risks to 99% of the world’s population who now breathe polluted air and causing 7 million premature deaths each year.
According to the authority, Africa does not contribute more than 3% of Greenhouse Gas emissions, yet the continent is warming faster than any other region in the world and is half ready to make the transition to carbon neutral economies.
It said the aviation sector has a huge role to play in reducing these effects as a top-ten global emitter whose emissions are expected to rise dramatically by mid-century especially with it being responsible for an estimated 4.9% of global warming, saying its climate impact is not restricted to its CO2 emissions alone, more than half of aviation’s climate impact comes from non-CO2 pollutants.
Against this backdrop, the CAA is advocating for urgent multi-industry emissions reduction programs like International Civil Aviation Organization( ICAO’s) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) mechanism and the Fly2Green Nigeria Initiative .
It is the cardinal imperative of the NCAA under the leadership of its Director General, Captain MUSA NUHU to activate Climate-smart solutions for Sustainable aviation through the Fly2Green Nigeria Initiative; integrating the ambitions and long-term goal aspirations of CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) through market-based measures designed to mainstream ICAO’s (International Civil Aviation Organization) Basket Measures of Green Aviation to check the emerging climate emergencies of Nigeria, while maintaining the “Common but Differentiated” responsibility commitments of the Paris climate agreement.
The NCAA looks forward to a National Clean Air Policy Partnerships Framework, as it positions the Fly2Green Nigeria program to launch the “Clean2Breathe Nigeria” campaign as an Aviation sector-led zero pollution mobilization tool to jumpstart National action and commitments to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution Targets of Nigeria.
