RIYADH — The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has participated in the celebration of the World Environment Day, which falls on June 5 every year, sensing the importance of this global event and contributing to the preservation of the environment and its natural resources in general, and the airport environment in particular, and the reduction of carbon emissions.

GACA has adopted several initiatives and programs that guarantee environment friendly operational processes, in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to reducing carbon emissions, which reflects the excellence of GACA’s strategy in implementing many projects and initiatives aimed at applying the highest standards of sustainability within a legislative and regulatory framework that helps preserve the environment and its natural resources.

This is being carried out in cooperation with the competent authorities in Saudi Arabia and international organizations around the world such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Airports Council International (ACI).

Currently, GACA is developing the (State Action Plan) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, emitted from civil aviation activities, by improving flight paths and operating procedures at airports and ground movement, as well as programs to improve aircraft efficiency and engines with operating companies, inventory and pinpoint the sources and quantities of emissions, and the adoption of the best international practices to reduce those emissions.

This plan also reflects the Kingdom's commitment and interest in protecting the environment and the risks of climate change, by constantly working to update plans to enhance the principle of transparency and commitment.

GACA worked on developing and publishing the executive regulations of GACAR PART 157 of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) on the authority's website, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions from international flights by monitoring and investigating the amount of emissions issued by national air carriers for international flights that are subject to the plan.

Reports are collected from air carriers after monitoring and recording their international flights and verifying them by an approved contractor according to a specific time frame during the year and then following up according to a specific mechanism and making the necessary analyzes to submit reports to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) according to the time frame annually.

Through GACA’s keenness to preserve the environment, GACA’s own Environmental Department has begun to work with a package of initiatives, programs, systems and recommendations to preserve the environment from civil aviation activities.

Most notably: Signing a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Environmental Compliance for the purpose of joint cooperation, and for commitment to the application of local regulations at airports and the implementation of campaigns to raise awareness of the need to preserve the environment.

Among the initiatives that GACA has started to work on to preserve the environment is the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman for Renewable Energy, where work has begun on the necessary studies and obtaining approvals from the concerned authorities to transform Arar Airport and Al-Qurayyat Airport into airports that are powered by renewable energy.

This is in addition to Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, becoming partially dependent on renewable energy.

On the other hand, GACA has embarked on developing a comprehensive plan for environmental sustainability for airports, including standards for solid waste management and hazardous materials, plans to rationalize energy consumption and reduce carbon footprint, standards for water management and local air quality, as well as standards for noise reduction from civil aviation activities, in order to set the Kingdom's airports in an advanced position in the field of environmental protection.

Meanwhile, the local air quality in the Kingdom’s airports has received great attention from GACA, as 13 air quality measurement stations were installed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and they will be linked with the National Center for Environmental Compliance to provide direct data around the clock for levels of air pollutants at the airport and working to reduce their risks. — SPA