CANSO welcomes important steps towards the transformation of Global ATM Performance

CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation commends States meeting at the 38^th ICAO Assembly on their decisions to take important steps toward the transformation of global air traffic management (ATM) performance. States approved the Global Aviation Safety Plan and the Global Air Navigation Plan, which will provide the blueprint to ensure a safe and globally harmonised planning framework for the aviation system over the next 15 years. They also approved a market-based measure for mitigating the impact of aviation emissions.

CANSO Director General, Jeff Poole, said, “CANSO’s Vision 2020 sets out our clear objective to deliver the transformation of global ATM performance; to enable airlines to fly in seamless airspace globally across ‘invisible’ borders.  ICAO shares our vision of a globally harmonised and interoperable air navigation system and at the 38^th ICAO Assembly States took three important steps towards its realisation.”

First, States approved the Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP). This will provide a strategic framework for States and industry to ensure the harmonisation and coordination of efforts to improve aviation safety, the industry’s number one priority. Through its Members, CANSO will be instrumental in contributing to the implementation of GASP and is pleased that States recognised the value of industry best practice to assist service providers in their compliance with national safety regulations. CANSO’s Standard of Excellence in Safety Management Systems provides a framework for continually improving the safety management practices within ANSPs. States also accepted CANSO’s recommendations that implementation of GASP needs to be supported with planning and decision-making tools that will assist in determining priorities, in line with capabilities and available resources, thus ensuring the harmonisation and coordination of efforts aimed at improving aviation safety. 

Second, States approved the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP). CANSO has long argued that airspace needs to be organised, and air navigation services delivered, in line with the operational requirements of airspace users, rather than according to national borders. We are pleased that States agreed with CANSO’s view that improved airspace structures and design will lead to greater efficiency and reduced emissions, and that greater visibility of the capacity and efficiency opportunities to air navigation in certain regions could be a positive step to their resolution.

Third, we are delighted that States have made significant progress towards carbon neutral growth from 2020 by agreeing to the development of a global market-based measure (MBM). While the mechanics of a MBM still need to be worked out, this is now one of a number of measures that States and the industry have agreed to undertake to mitigate the environmental impact of aviation. Improvements in air traffic management will continue to play an important role in reducing emissions and the industry has already made significant progress through real operational performance measures. These include: shorter routes; techniques such as continuous climb and continuous descent operations; and more efficient routing through performance-based navigation and other measures.

Poole concluded, “States at the Assembly demonstrated the value of partnership. They recognise the value of working with the industry to achieve seamless airspace globally. The decisions taken at this meeting provide a solid basis to ensure a globally harmonised and interoperable air navigation system, capable of delivering a safe, efficient and seamless service. Our task is now to implement these decisions. Vision 2020 gives us the mechanism to do that, through the CANSO Work Plan, with detailed actions, deliverables and timescales.”