The ICAO-UNDP-GEF capacity building and assistance project aims to equip States with the guidance required to implement aviation environmental protection activities, with a special focus on the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and developing countries.
The project entails four main components:
- Assessment of costs and environmental benefits of the implementation of different mitigation measures;
- The development of a series of guidance material aimed at facilitating the implementation of aviation environmental protection activities;
- ICAO integrated environmental technical platform to support the implementation of low emissions measures in the aviation sector; and
- The implementation of a "solar-at-gate" pilot project at two international airports in Jamaica.
The project deliverables have been designed to ensure the replicability of low emissions aviation measures. However, such measures can only be implemented if the guidance material developed in the context of the ICAO-UNDP-GEF capacity-building and assistance project are disseminated in a timely manner to the most relevant audience.
In accordance with the Project Document two locations have been identified for the Seminars: Jamaica and Fiji. Interpretation services in Spanish would be provided in Jamaica to meet the linguistic needs of the States in the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Therefore, it is proposed to organize two information dissemination seminars. The selection of the location of these seminars would take into consideration the geographical spread of SIDS and developing countries. The seminars would be aimed at government officials from the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) and other national aviation stakeholders, including Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of the Environment among others. In addition, the main regional organizations would be invited, when deemed relevant. Last but not least, recognizing the existing capacity-building strategy of States in the Asia-Pacific region, possible donor States would be invited to attend the Seminar in Fiji and possibly be inspired to support capacity-building and assistance projects in Pacific SIDS for the implementation of low emissions aviation measures
A significant result of the Seminars would be to share information on the lessons learnt, best practices and deliverables of the project, stimulate local partnerships to replicate the implementation of low emissions aviation measures, with the support of ICAO. The Seminars could represent the starting point of a renewed cooperation between ICAO, UNDP and GEF and lead to scaling up solar-at-gate projects.