The Airspace Change Organisation Group (ACOG) has published its environment strategy to facilitate the adoption of greener practices within airspace change proposals over the next few years.
ACOG’s environment strategy identifies four commitments to take this forward. The first is the provision of information on the opportunities and challenges: ACOG seeks to be clear, accurate and informative in setting its information on environmental impacts, both forecasted and realized. Secondly, the organization intends to create guidance and toolkits to assist airports in evaluating their environmental impacts by undertaking work in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Department for Transport (DfT) to ensure that the processes are transparent and align with existing regulations governing the process of airspace change.
The third commitment is to identify and exploit opportunities for better environmental performance by working with airport sponsors and the wider industry where appropriate to help share information on operational or technical changes that can potentially deliver environmental benefits. Finally, ACOG plans to engage with stakeholders to better understand their concerns and shape the development of the Airspace Masterplan by seeking feedback as it is developed.
The organization’s environment strategy is intended to demonstrate how airspace change is helping to deliver a near-term contribution to the UK government’s ‘Jet Zero’ commitments for the sector while also reducing where possible noise nuisance from overflights and freeing up regulated airspace for other airspace users. It also provides ACOG with a platform to engage with airports and policymakers on how the industry can embed environment-led practices within aviation, which will aid in reducing carbon emissions and noise impacts from aircraft.
Mark Swan, head of ACOG, said, “Our environment strategy marks a significant step in creating a greener, cleaner airspace through airspace modernization. For the first time in 50 years, we have the potential to change the way that we structure the network of airspace routes operating in our skies while simultaneously delivering environmental improvements. This new strategy sets out our contribution and some of the actions we are taking to make this possible.”
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