ICAO CONFERENCE ON AVIATION AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS (CAAF/3)
February 14, 2024, | Harare, Zimbabwe| Zimbabwe was among one hundred and nineteen (119) contracting States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), who participated in the third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) that was held from 20 to 23 November 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The leader of the Zimbabwe delegation, Deputy Minister of Transport & Infrastructural Development – Hon J. K. Sacco (MP), delivered a high-level statement in which he informed the conference that Zimbabwe has mainstreamed Climate Change in its current medium-term plan as outlined in the National Development Strategy 1: 2021-25 (NDS1). Zimbabwe in its 2021 revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has also committed to an ambitious and sector-wide commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2030.
The conference recognized that to achieve the long-term global aspirational goal for international aviation (LTAG) of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, there is need for a comprehensive approach consisting of a basket of measures, including technology, sustainable fuels, operational improvements, and market-based measures.
Thus, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF) and other aviation cleaner energies are expected to have the largest contribution to aviation CO2 emissions reduction by 2050 and, whilst there are increasing initiatives to develop and deploy these fuels, there is still a lot of work to be done to grow production levels of these fuels which currently stands at only 0.2 per cent of all aviation fuel use.
Follow this link to read the full report on ICAO Global Framework on Cleaner Energies: https://www.icao.int/Meetings/CAAF3/Documents/ICAO%20Global%20Framework%20on%20Aviation%20Cleaner%20Energies_24Nov2023.pdf
In January 2022, Zimbabwe submitted its State Action Plan (SAP) for carbon emission reduction comprising 19 carbon mitigating measures. As part of implementation of the SAP, Zimbabwe announced its voluntary participation in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) program with effect from January 2023. The State also hosted a seminar in April 2023, with ICAO and nine other African States. The 10 States in attendance were beneficiary States of 2nd Phase of the ICAO -EU Project.
Following up on this seminar, ICAO selected Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Cote D’Ivoire for feasibility studies under the ICAO-EU Assistance Project Phase II on the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). The feasibility study in Zimbabwe was carried out in June 2023 by Damiana Serafini (ICAO – EU Technical Consultant on SAF) and it explored further on the work already done in the implementation of Biodiesel and Bioethanol programs in Zimbabwe and its capacity from the 14 potential feedstocks.
The report noted that “Zimbabwe is well suited to deploy the production of SAF within the next 3-5 years. Ethanol makes for the most suitable and immediately available feedstock for conversion into SAF conditional to the completion of expansion plans currently under implementation to produce sugar cane. The State holds extensive expertise in the conversion of ethanol to renewable fuels supported by national policy. Opportunity also lies in the use of jatropha for SAF conversion in the long term. This latter SAF pathway completely aligned with the State’s energy independence directive as well as with job creation and poverty alleviation of rural communities.”
Scan QR code below to read the full feasibility report on Zimbabwe:
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ABOUT CAAZ
The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe was established in 1999 by an Act of Parliament, the Civil Aviation Act [Chapter 13:16], and took over the functions of the former Department of Civil Aviation under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Pursuant to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommendations and best practices, the Authority was hived off Airport operations to a new entity through the Civil Aviation Amendment Act, 2018 [No. 10 of 2018].
In its new mandate, the Authority regulates the aviation industry and provides oversight of aviation safety and security, development of air transport and provision of air navigation services within Zimbabwe. The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe also advises the Government of Zimbabwe on all matters relating to domestic and international aviation.
On the 4th of October 2022, at the 41st International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal Canada, Zimbabwe was elected as the SADC representative, into the ICAO Council under Part III category, giving Zimbabwe an opportunity to sit as part of the Council’s 36 member states, the highest decision-making body in aviation.
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