Following the global need to tackle Climate Change, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FICArb UK, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing climate change in the aviation sector, noting that the Ministry is poised to innovate, and improve fuel efficiency to reduce emission.

The Minister stated this during a courtesy visit by the House of Representative Committee on Climate Change at the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja.

Keyamo emphasized the need for collaboration between the Aviation Ministry and the Parliament to reduce the effects of climate change and adopt sustainable practices, stating that through this effort there will be adequate policies to address climate change and environmental sustainability.

“The aviation industry has a vital role to play in achieving a sustainable future, and through collaboration with the House Committee on Climate Change, we can ensure that Nigeria’s aviation sector leads by example in adopting green technologies and practices”.

He said agencies under the Ministry like Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are already engaged with key initiatives to reduce the impact of Climate Change.

“Nigeria, as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is committed to playing its part in global efforts to combat climate change, we are aligned with the Paris Agreement and ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which sets ambitious targets for the aviation sector to mitigate its environmental impact”.

The Minister directed that a Communication Committee be set up to report all the ministry’s achievements on climate change. He stated that the membership of the committee will comprise members from the two house committees on Aviation , the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NiMET and the Special Assistant to the Minister on Climate Change. He urged the committee to send their report quarterly.

The Minister thanked the House of Representative Committee on Climate Change stating the Ministry’s readiness to working closely with the committee to implement policies and actions that will create environmentally responsible aviation sector in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Chairman House of Representative Committee on Climate Change and Security, Hon. Kama Nkemkanma, commended the Ministry for its strategic role in Nigeria’s development and stressed the need for increased collaboration to tackle climate change and its growing impact on various sectors, especially aviation.

Hon Nkemkanma said the visit was part of the Committee roles to engage with government agencies and private sector in effort to drum up increased action in tackling the climate change menace which possess challenges to Nigeria’s sustainable growth.

The Committee Chairman noted that with the aid of Climate Change Act 2021, Nigeria is making huge efforts to address the issue of climate change and to position the country on the way to sustainable growth and development. He commended the Minister for compliance with the climate change Act noting that the accolades by all and sundry was well deserved.