Safety Management
Runway and Aerodrome Safety
Operational and On-board Safety
Accident Investigation
Safety Audits
Monitoring and Assistance Review Board
Training
Regional Safety Coordination
Technical Cooperation and Assistance Projects
Other Safety Initiatives
Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency
Performance-based Navigation
Air Traffic Management: Airspace
Meteorology
Aviation Frequency Spectrum
Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation
Emergency Response
Emergency Response
Monitoring by States of Potentially Active Volcanoes
In November, through the applicability of Amendment 76 to Annex 3 — Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation, ICAO enhanced the requirements concerning the monitoring of significant pre-eruption volcanic activity, volcanic eruptions and volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Historically, States with volcanoes in their territory have been required to monitor active volcanoes only. However, States are now required to also monitor potentially active volcanoes. The monitoring of active and potentially active volcanoes by State volcano observatories enhances the State’s ability to detect impending or occurring volcanic eruptions and, in turn, assists the State volcano observatory and others in providing timely, reliable advice to the aviation stakeholders within the framework of ICAO’s International Airways Volcano Watch, thus facilitating situational awareness and collaborative decision making as well as continued safe and efficient flight operations in the face of such a natural hazard.
Inter-agency Preparedness and Response to Radiation Emergencies
Taking into account the lessons learned and experiences gained during the accident at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011, ICAO has assisted the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Inter-Agency Committee on Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies to improve a Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of the International Organizations. The Joint Plan describes inter-agency emergency preparedness and response arrangements for nuclear or radiological incidents or accidents, irrespective of their cause. The efforts of ICAO and the other members of the Committee culminated in the publication by the IAEA of a new edition of the Joint Plan in July. The new edition includes details of an ad hoc working group on air and maritime transportation within the Joint Plan arrangements, which ICAO was instrumental in establishing. In November, ICAO participated in an international exercise designed to evaluate the response to a severe radiological emergency triggered by nuclear security events (so-called “dirty bombs”). In 2014, together with other concerned international organizations, ICAO will be assessing the results of the exercise with a view to making recommendations to further enhance the Joint Plan arrangements.
