The Federal Government has joined the global efforts championed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation to reduce aviation carbon emission under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.

The pilot phase of the scheme is scheduled for 2021.

Direct emissions from aviation is said to account for about three per cent of the European Union’s total greenhouse gas emissions and more than two per cent of global emissions.

According to experts, by 2020, the global international aviation emissions will be about 70 per cent higher than what it was in 2005.

The ICAO forecasts that by 2050, the emissions may increase further by between 300 and 700 per cent.

The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Mukhtar Usman, in a letter to ICAO, said that Nigeria’s decision to voluntarily participate in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation was based on the country’s strong support for ICAO’s work in the mitigation of CO2 emission in international aviation.

The letter read in part, “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority wishes to refer to the Nigerian State Action Plan on mitigation of CO2 emissions submitted in 2015 and to inform that the action plan is currently being updated. However, Nigeria requires assistance to carry out this update to ensure a successful participation in the pilot stage of CORSIA.”

Usman also made a request to ICAO to include the country in the European Union Project for capacity building for CO2 mitigation for international aviation.

“This will assist Nigeria to come up with a robust Action Plan and develop the capacity to implement the plan,” Usman added.

The President, ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Aliu, at the recently concluded International Air Transport Association’s Annual General Meeting in Mexico, said world governments had endorsed the CORSIA at ICAO’s 39th General Assembly last year, with countries representing over 80 per cent of international flight operations volunteering to participate as early as its pilot phase in 2021.

He was quoted to have said that Saudi Arabia, Gabon, El Salvador and Nigeria had also signaled their intention to join.

“This means that some 90 per cent of international operations will be covered by the CORSIA when it launches,” Aliu added.