Uganda to implement Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme

Dr. David Kakuba (center), Eng. Ronny Barongo (fourth left) with aviation experts at the workshop at Central Inn, Entebbe.

Uganda is set to implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) effective January 1, 2019. Under CORSIA, airline operators will start reporting their annual carbon emissions. This was revealed during a CAA Uganda sensitisation workshop for aviation experts at Central Inn, Entebbe on December 17, 2018.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, CAA Managing Director, Dr. David Kakuba said that activities under CORSIA envisioned Environmental Protection in regard to international aviation as one of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Strategic objectives.

Dr. Kakuba emphasised the timeliness for Uganda to implement CORSIA since it was now mandatory for all states with airline operators conducting international flights to Monitor, Report and Verify (MRV) carbon emissions.

“I would like to encourage participants to focus on the stated objectives, which emphasize information exchange on CORSIA implementation requirement, focus on the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification aspects and ensure that procedures and required actions are well understood,” he said.

Dr. Kakuba expressed optimism that the training would go a long way in building capacity for airline operators to develop Emissions Monitoring Plans and effectively report on their carbon emissions.

“To enable aviation to be an even bigger driver of prosperity across the continent, we must work with governments to improve competitiveness, develop effective infrastructure, modernize the regulatory framework with a focus on global standards, and ensure a well -trained and diverse workforce”, he added.

The CAA Director Safety, Security and Economic Regulation (Designate), Eng. Ronny Barongo said that environmental protection was critical and ICAO had been working on standards related to aircraft noise. He added that, ICAO was gradually expanding to other areas such as local air quality and more recently climate change. He noted that airlines and states also needed to co-operate on programmes for environmental sustainability.

The training was conducted by facilitators from Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Winstone Gicheru and Mwangi Francis, who are focal point aviation experts on CORSIA.

In Africa, Uganda joins Botswana, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia in signing up to CORSIA.