The  Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) joins the global community to commemorate the third
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.

 Tagged with the theme “The Air We Share”, this year’s focus on
the trans boundary nature of air pollution and the need for Collective accountability and action, which
requires collaborative efforts from businesses, communities, civil society, academia, policymakers and
government to advocate, accelerate and activate climate-smart solutions for Net-Zero emission footprint

Air pollution is both a climate impact and health impact issue that transcends and permeates national
borders, posing risks to 99% of the world’s population who now breathe polluted air and causing 7 million
premature deaths each year.

Africa does not contribute more than 3% of Greenhouse Gas emissions, yet the continent is warming faster
than any other region in the world and is half ready to make the transition to carbon neutral economies.

 
In the drive for collective accountability and action to tackle environmental pollution and climate change,
the aviation sector has a huge role to play.

 With a call to action for sustainability anchored on a few climate
change facts: The aviation sector is a top-ten global emitter whose emissions are expected to rise
dramatically by mid-century.

 The industry is responsible for an estimated 4.9% of global warming and its
climate impact is not restricted to its CO2 emissions alone—more than half of aviation’s climate impact
comes from non-CO2 pollutants.

Climate change and Air pollution are inseparable environmental challenges which require integrated
approaches to tackle both and ensure significant shared benefits for the people and planet

Hence,the urgency for multi-industry emissions reduction programs like ICAO’s CORSIA Mechanism and the
Fly2Green Nigeria Initiative of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The Fly2Green Nigeria Programme stands as the NCAA initiative to drive collective net-zero accountability
and eco-citizens responsibility to tackle environmental pollution and climate change through green
aviation market-based measures that promote eco-advocacy, eco-citizenship, eco-volunteerism, eco-
efficiency, eco-nnovation, eco-finance, eco-health insurance, eco-tourism and ecosystem conservation
schemes to boost the contribution of National and regional aviation sector towards the achievement of a
1.5°C future in Nigeria and Africa.

Through its incentive-based green travel programme and robust voluntary carbon emissions reduction
scheme, Fly2Green Nigeria is designed to map out a decarbonization strategy for the Nigeria Aviation
Industry, domesticate the National Policy on Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) and implement
strategic partnerships with relevant Green, Blue and Circular Economy stakeholders to launch the first
Clean Air-Blue Skies Advocacy Programme in Nigeria tagged “Clean2Breathe Nigeria” – a ‘Zero Air Pollution’
advocacy campaign to boost local air quality against SLCPs .
Fly2Green for The Air We Share”

It is the cardinal imperative of the NCAA under the leadership of its Director General, Captain Musa  Nuhu
to activate Climate-smart solutions for Sustainable aviation through the Fly2Green Nigeria Initiative;
integrating the ambitions and long-term goal aspirations of CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction
Scheme for International Aviation) through market-based measures designed to mainstream ICAO’s
(International Civil Aviation Organization) Basket Measures of Green Aviation to check the emerging
climate emergencies of Nigeria, while maintaining the “Common but Differentiated” responsibility
commitments of the Paris climate agreement.

The NCAA looks forward to a National Clean Air Policy Partnerships Framework, as it positions the
Fly2Green Nigeria programme to launch the “Clean2Breathe Nigeria” campaign as an Aviation sector-led zero
pollution mobilization tool to jumpstart National action and commitments to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution Targets of Nigeria