The General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, recently attended the 11th Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection, CAEP11, ‘steering group’ meeting at the ICAO, International Civil Aviation Organisation, in Montreal. The committee was attended by representatives from member states, key observers and senior representatives from the aviation industry.

CAEP is an important technical committee of the ICAO Council established in 1983. It assists the ICAO Council in formulating new policies and adopting new Standards and Recommended Practices related to aircraft noise and emissions, and more generally to aviation environmental impact.

The UAE is at the forefront of international safety cooperation and environmental issues as well as being actively involved in ICAO’s committees such as CAEP to advance environmental protection efforts. The UAE is ranked as the top ICAO member state in compliance level with ICAO requirements under the USOAP Programme.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of UAE GCAA, said, "We are pleased to be a contributor to this prestigious and influential ICAO committee. Our membership is evidence of the leadership role that the UAE plays in supporting environmental protection efforts in the aviation sector internationally as well as our support for ICAO’s environmental goals. More broadly our membership is firmly in line with one of the UAE vision main pillars which is to ensure sustainable economic development while preserving the environment."

CAEP’s role is to undertake specific studies, as requested by the ICAO Council to assess issues around noise, air quality and the basket of measures today considered for reducing international aviation CO2 emissions, including aircraft technology, operations improvement, market-based measures and alternative fuels.

The ICAO Council reviews and adopts CAEP recommendations, including amendments to the SARPs, and in turn reports to the ICAO Assembly where the main policies on environmental protection are ultimately defined.

ICAO is a UN specialised agency, established by states in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the Chicago Convention. ICAO works with the Convention’s 191 member states and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector.