CAA to ban airlines over carbon emissions

ENTEBBE. The managing director Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Mr David Kakuba has said starting next year, the body will not allow airlines that emit more than the newly required carbon levels by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to land in Uganda.

“We are going to require operators to operate within the required international limits as far as carbon emissions are concerned. Every end of year we certify operators that operate within Uganda -- that they operate within limits and if we find that you contravene this, we either ground you here or we tell you you’re not welcome to Entebbe international Airport,” he said.

Mr Kakuba made the remarks while addressing journalists after opening the national stakeholders' training workshop on carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation (CORSIA) in Entebbe.

“This requirement seeks for an aircraft to take off with a maximum certificated mass not exceeding 5,700kg and airline operators not produce carbon emissions greater than 10,000 tonnes with the exception of humanitarian, medical and fire fighting operations” he said.

Mr Kakuba said it is now a requirement under CORSIA for countries and airlines operating international flights to implement the monitoring, reporting and verifications of carbon emissions at the start of next year.

Mr Ronny Barongo the director safety, security and economic regulation at CAA said ICAO is assisting countries in building capacity of the carbon monitoring and emission program that is slated to begin early next year.

“ICAO has amended the standard which is on annex 16 that deals with the environment, it was changed in 2018 we now have volume 4, after it came in place states came up with the CORSIA partnership to put in place the measures,” he said.

The operating states under ICAO have partnered to ensure that they are able to meet the 01 January 2019 deadline to implement the regulations.

“The planes emit a lot of carbon which destroys the environment -- that’s why it’s important to start limiting the emissions carried out by planes,” he said.