STAFF WRITER
AN international aviation expert has encouraged Namibia to take a cue from other African countries that have set in motion processes to align their aviation industries to sustainable aviation through using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Some of the African countries that have done feasibility studies to align their industries with sustainable aviation guidelines include Zimbabwe, Kenya ,Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Speaking at a workshop in Windhoek European Union Carbon Scheme for Reduction for International Aviation (EU-CORSIA) Environmental Expert Mark Latimer on Thursday drew parallels for Namibia with other countries on the practical implementation of sustainable aviation in Africa.
“This shows different stages of the progress made by some countries in Africa to achieve SAF standards. Some of the countries that have made progress are Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso. Is it feasible? There are still many factors to be examined, is it environmentally sustainable, is it economically sustainable and so on and so forth,” he said.
SAF is a term most commonly used to refer to Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
This type of fuel is derived from sustainable sources that can be used in airplanes to reduce carbon emissions across the lifecycle of its usage compared to traditional jet fuel.
According to experts, SAF offers numerous benefits, centered around reducing the environmental impact of air travel.
It is also recommended for significantly lowering carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuel, potentially by up to 80% over its lifecycle.
Aviation experts also argue that SAF reduces harmful pollutants like particulate matter and sulfur oxides.
This leads to cleaner air, especially around airports, and contributes to improved public health. Furthermore, SAF is a “drop-in” fuel, meaning it can be used in existing aircraft and infrastructure without modifications, making it a practical solution for the industry.
Latimer said while SAF is quite an expensive process to follow it is one that is necessary and full of other financial benefits for Namibia and other African countries in future.
“Yes, it is a quite an expensive process but most countries are adopting measures to implement this especially in Europe,” he said.
African countries are developing and implementing policies to promote sustainable aviation, focusing on SAF and other cleaner energy sources to decarbonise the aviation sector.
These efforts align with global goals to achieve net-zero emissions in aviation by 2050 and address the continent’s unique challenges and opportunities.
Key aspects of SAF are that African states are working to establish robust policy and regulatory frameworks to support the development, production, and deployment of SAF.
Despite this Namibia is yet to have a localised policy on SAF. African countries are also developing and implementing policies to promote sustainable aviation, focusing on SAF and other cleaner energy sources to decarbonize the aviation sector.
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