Montréal, 27 September 2016 – Over 2,000 Ministers and high-ranking government officials have gathered at the Montréal Headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) today, for the launch of the UN aviation agency’s landmark 39th triennial Assembly.
The event was officially opened by ICAO’s Council President, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, who was joined on the occasion by Canada’s Minister of Transport Marc Garneau, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, and the Mayor of Montreal, Mr. Denis Coderre.
One of the most ambitious events of its kind in ICAO’s over seven decades of managing global air transport cooperation and progress, the 39th Assembly, which runs through 7 October, is expected to adopt the first ever global market-based measure (MBM) by any industry sector covering CO2 emissions from international activity.
“The path to an MBM for international aviation has been a complex one, for all concerned, but it has also been a process characterized by a high-level of political will and a clear motivation among State and industry parties to realize a practical and consensus-driven global approach. Already, States responsible for some 80% of international flights have volunteered to participate in the GMBM from 2021” stressed Council President Aliu.
The global aviation network currently manages some 10 million passengers and 100,000 flights daily, with international aviation contributing 1.3% a year to global manmade CO2 emissions.
“Significant progress has been achieved by ICAO and its Member States since 2010 to realize the sector’s goal of carbon neutral growth from 2020. These include innovative technologies, streamlined operations and procedures, and sustainable alternative aviation fuels” commented ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu, who elaborated further that given the global system’s tendency to double in flight and passenger volumes once every 15 years, a need is recognized for an MBM to complement the wide-ranging measures.
In addition to the expected agreement on the aviation MBM, governments at the 39th Assembly are also expected to endorse new amendments to ICAO’s global strategic plans for aviation safety and air navigation efficiency, as well as recommend that ICAO now develop similar global plans for aviation security and facilitation and air transport economic development.
To read the full article from the ICAO, please click here.
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