< PreviousThe increasing recognition by States of aviation’s role in SDG achievement A PROMISING TREND In 2019, ICAO’s Strategic Planning, Coordination and Partnerships (SPCP) office developed an in-depth analysis on the status of aviation recognition in UN States’ 2016-2018 Voluntary National Review (VNR) submissions to the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The results show a promising trend. Based on a comprehensive analysis of 107 VNRs submitted by 98 UN Member States, the recognition of aviation’s role in providing fundamental support for SDG attainment has more than tripled globally during this three-year period, from 25 per cent to 77 per cent. Moreover, some 62 out of 98 States are now directly referencing aviation-related developments in their VNRs – up from just 5 States in 2016. This July the ICAO Journal spoke to SPCP Head, Mr. Henry Gourdji, and to its Chief of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization, Ms. Thilly De Bodt, about the role of the SPCP in ICAO and its recent successes in reinforcing aviation’s SDG role at the 2019 edition of the HLPF. Under the overall direction of the Office of ICAO Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, the Strategic Planning, Coordination and Partnerships (SPCP) office supports a coherent approach across the Organization’s bureaus and offices to achieve the ICAO Council’s five Strategic Objectives. The SPCP carries out these objectives through its two main sections focused respectively on Strategic Planning and Regional Affairs Coordination (PRC) and Partnerships and Resource Mobilization (PRM). “The PRC area of the SPCP is responsible for regional coordination, the development and maintenance of the ICAO Business Plan, the ICAO Operating Plan, the Organization’s Corporate Management and reporting tool (CMRT), and for outlining ICAO’s Corporate Key Performance Indicators and the Risk Registry,” explained SPCP Head, Mr. Henry Gourdji. “It also plays an important role in how ICAO coordinates and responds to worldwide emergencies that threaten the safety, regularity, or continuity of aviation operations.” As part of its regional coordination mandate, the PRC initiates high-level and cross-cutting strategies and priorities among ICAO’s Bureaus and Regional Offices. Its work provides an important basis for ICAO resource allocation, and assists the Secretary General in monitoring corporate accountability and performance Organization-wide with respect to the implementation of ICAO’s programmes and initiatives. The PRM meanwhile supports SPCP in its responsibility to analyze and facilitate the development of ICAO partnerships with external State, multilateral organization and aviation stakeholders, and especially with respect to how those partnerships can be leveraged to support air transport system enhancements in ICAO’s Member States. The Section also supports the mobilization of the voluntary resource provision needed for aviation system improvements in many of ICAO’s developing Member States, and establishes internal systems to ensure optimized knowledge sharing and partnership accountability. “ICAO partnerships usually will involve our Member States, other United Nations agencies, private sector companies and academia,” noted SPCP Chief of Partnerships and Resource Mobilization, Ms. Thilly De Bodt. “These affiliations are essential in many instances to the full and effective implementation of ICAO’s plans and activities, and by working together under a proper strategic framework both ICAO and its partners are able to build on their respective strengths and abilities.” ICAO SPCP AND THE UN SDGS The SPCP is ICAO’s primary area supporting the benefits of aviation in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Mr. Henry Gourdji 18 | ICAO JOURNAL | ISSUE 2 | 2019 A PROMISING TRENDSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its analyses have helped ICAO to demonstrate and make clear to national governments how the international connectivity established through civil aviation operations provides fundamental capabilities by which States can subsequently improve their local achievement of 15 out of the 17 SDGs. “I’m proud of our team and of the work they carried out to realize the aviation/ SDG mapping,” stressed SPCP Head Gourdji. “This is a key area of concern in many parts of the developing world today, and the crucial links between air transport and local prosperity can often be taken too much for granted. By helping governments to understand how their air connectivity can be enhanced through improved ICAO compliance, and then how those enhancements lead directly to socio-economic performance benefits in terms of both individual and commercial prosperity, ICAO is directly supporting the intentions and values at the heart of the Chicago Convention which established the global air transport network in the first place.” An important aspect of the follow- up and review mechanisms relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) encourages countries to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) attainment progress being made at both the national and sub-national levels. These Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) are State-led and undertaken by both developed and developing countries. They serve as a key basis for ongoing SDG discussion and fine tuning through the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. “Considering that the VNRs are the main vehicle for national reporting on the implementation of the SDGs, the reflection of aviation within these is perhaps the best metric available to ICAO in terms of monitoring the recognition by national governments of air transport’s essential role in achieving Agenda 2030,” underscored SPCP Chief De Bodt. Among States referencing aviation in their VNRs at the 2019 HLPF attended by the SPCP, a growing number connect references to SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 17. Fourteen VNRs reported on SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) with aviation, eight VNRs linked aviation to SDG 13 advances (Climate Action), and six further VNRs referred to aviation in the context of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). AVIATION INNOVATIONS PROVIDING NEW SDG LINKAGES Besides the systemic socio-economic benefits States enjoy through ICAO- compliant air connectivity with other States, regions and commercial trading partners, new aviation innovations such as drones are also beginning to deliver important civil society and SDG benefits to States. “I was very encouraged to see Rwanda’s submission on how drones are now delivering lifesaving blood and medicine to 21 regional hospitals through the operations of more than 50 drones daily for on-demand deliveries,” commented Gourdji. “And in a similar vein we heard from Mauritius on how new drone capabilities are enabling it to improve the assessment and monitoring of crop performance over large areas, or how in Israel new aviation technologies are being leveraged in the field of what they are terming ‘precision agriculture’, including through satellites and drones which transmit data used for irrigation control, fertilization, spraying and growth.” Along with the rest of ICAO, the SPCP office is presently developing its submissions to the 40th Assembly so that all of ICAO’s 193 Member States have a chance to explore its results in greater detail. Its continued importance to ICAO, to aviation, and to sustainable development globally should only expand as more and more States continue to appreciate the role of air transport in their local economies and social prosperity objectives. A PROMISING TREND www.ICAO.int | 19NO COUNTRY LEFT BEHIND Reviewing the successes of ICAO’s key assistance and capacity-building initiative after five years of outreach and partnership The 40th ICAO Assembly will be asked to endorse the continuation of one of ICAO’s most successful capacity-building efforts in the Organization’s long history of international cooperation: namely the No Country Left Behind (NCLB) initiative. Spearheaded by the ICAO Council and especially by Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu when he was first elected to his office, NCLB was launched on 5 December 2014 as part of the events to mark the 70th Anniversary of ICAO. The initiative aims to assist States in effectively implementing ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), plans, policies and programmes. NOT JUST FOR DEVELOPING STATES The NCLB initiative is for all ICAO Member States, with a focus on those countries with prioritized needs. It addresses capacity gaps relevant to all ICAO Strategic Objectives, and serves to improve implementation support delivery to States with respect to new and amended ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). Through the NCLB initiative, ICAO resolves to provide more effective direct support to governments which need assistance to develop and improve their aviation systems by implementing ICAO’s global standards and policies. This places a spotlight on ICAO’s role as an advocate for aviation development, and sees the Organization working more closely with States to ensure aviation is given greater importance in the context of development at the country level. The results achieved through these assistance and capacity- building efforts subsequently provide direct support to the implementation of the ICAO Assembly Resolution A39-25 with respect to aviation’s contribution towards the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030). 20 | ICAO JOURNAL | ISSUE 2 | 2019 NO COUNTRY LEFT BEHINDACHIEVING THE NCLB OBJECTIVES The NCLB objectives are publicized, supported and implemented as part of ICAO’s day-to-day operations. They range from advocating for the benefits of aviation for States, to developing dedicated tools and services they can make use of locally to increase their ICAO compliance, to the many collaborative efforts and partnerships ICAO helps coordinate to enhance governments’ effective implementation of ICAO SARPs. Advocacy, as noted above, plays a key role in the overall NCLB process, given that States must first be convinced of the quid pro quo in terms of the local socio-economic prosperity and sustainability which derives from more effective ICAO compliance. One of the priorities of the NCLB is therefore to foster the political will necessary to support aviation commitments and improvements. ICAO encourages this by participating in key international events and meetings, such as the 26th African Union Summit (2016), the 2016 Global Sustainable Transport Conference, the 2017-2019 World Economic Forum in Davos, the 2017- 2019 International Transport Forum, and consecutive World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forums and Aviation Leaders’ Summits, etc. By advocating for aviation’s benefits for sustainable development at these events, ICAO sensitizes high-level government officials and generates political willingness to allocate sufficient resources to aviation development. These activities are nothing short of pivotal to how aviation becomes prioritized in global development frameworks which in turn allocate important and much needed State resources. Such outcomes were greatly aided by the consecutive ICAO World Aviation Forums (IWAFs) that the Organization conducted on the subject of aviation development and partnerships. These events were rotated through various ICAO regions, thus benefitting the global reach and uptake of key messages. Ultimately the IWAF events collectively achieved some important objectives for ICAO, by identifying the partnership and financing required to accelerate the implementation of global standards and policies, plans and programmes; reaffirming ICAO’s leadership role in fostering effective partnerships between donors, investors and needful States; and by identifying, coordinating and providing assistance to States in need under its NCLB initiative. IWAFs have also been invaluable to help showcase the socio-economic benefits of aviation, including its role of facilitating travel, tourism and trade, and to emphasize the need of creating an enabling economic environment and raising political willingness to mainstream and reflect the priorities of the aviation sector in the global, regional and national agenda. Lastly, they played a very important part in encouraging States to take a comprehensive, holistic and transformative approach to their aviation and national development needs, underpinned by coherent policies and good governance at all levels to addressing aviation infrastructure financing challenges. IMPRESSIVE RESULTS The number of accidents has been continuously decreasing globally and regionally since the onset of NCLB, with some regions having even achieved zero fatalities in scheduled commercial air transport for multi-year periods. Africa, for example, had zero fatalities in 2016 and 2017 and saw its average yearly accident rate decrease by 40 per cent from the previous triennium. Similarly, the global overall effective implementations of ICAO Safety Oversight SARPs has increased by 9.4 per cent, and there has been a significantly reduced number of States being identified through ICAO safety oversight audits with Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs). In addition, 43 States whose EI for safety was below 60 per cent (the threshold set out in the Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) for effective safety oversight) at the start of the NCLB initiative, have increased their level of EI in safety to over 60 per cent. Importantly, ICAO’s better resourced and targeted Regional Offices have been instrumental to helping States develop key partnerships and achieve these results. LOOKING AHEAD ICAO has established a dedicated resource mobilization capacity with the primary intent of supporting States in their aviation development and ICAO compliance efforts. The preferred way to support ICAO activities financed by extra-budgetary resources is to provide funding directly for the NCLB initiative. This is the most flexible and sustainable voluntary funding modality, which reduces the overall ICAO transaction costs in delivering support to States. Additionally, in line with the ICAO Business Plan 2020-2021-2022, ICAO will be intensifying its technical assistance and technical cooperation activities to further implement the NCLB initiative, enhance the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Programme, promote the inclusion of aviation in national and regional development plans, and expand on new partnerships to support programme activities. NO COUNTRY LEFT BEHIND www.ICAO.int | 21GLOBAL AIR NAVIGATION PLAN THE AIR NAVIGATION EVOLUTION Fostering and enabling air transport innovation The powerful socio-economic driver represented by the aviation industry is facing a variety of challenges. Air traffic, with its movement of passengers and goods around the world, is expected to double within the next 15 years. At the same time, new demands on the aviation system, emerging technologies, innovative ways of doing business, and the shifting in human roles are bringing not only challenges but also opportunities that call for an urgent transformation of the global air navigation system, so that aviation can continue to boost social well-being worldwide. Acknowledging that aviation has entered a new era, and that a good future is not an extrapolation of the past but emerges to face the challenges of the future, the sixth edition of the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) is the response of the international aviation community to these challenges. GANP 6 - INNOVATING TO BETTER SERVE THE AVIATION COMMUNITY In aviation’s fast and ever-changing landscape, achieving the sustainable growth of international air transport strongly relies on a high-performing and seamless global air navigation system. With the GANP, ICAO brings the aviation community together to achieve an agile, safe, secure, sustainable, high- performing and interoperable global air navigation system. Developed in collaboration with and for the benefit of all stakeholders, the GANP is a key contributor to the achievement of ICAO’s Strategic Objectives and has an important role to play in supporting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A central goal for the purposes of the GANP is SDG 9: Infrastructure, industry and innovation. The content of the GANP is organized into a multilayer structure, with each layer tailored to different audiences. This allows for better communication with both high-level and technical managers, with the objective that no State or stakeholder is left behind. The four-layer structure is made up of global (strategic and technical), regional and national levels, and provides a framework for alignment of regional, sub-regional and national plans. The four-layer structure facilitates decision-making by providing stable strategic direction for the evolution of the air navigation system and, at the same time, timely relevance in the technical content. In addition, to enable different stakeholders to access and use relevant information, all four levels of the GANP have been made available via a printer-friendly, interactive, web- based platform – the GANP Portal (https://www4.icao.int/ganpportal). The platform ensures a common entry point to — and consistency between — all four levels of the GANP. Furthermore, with the digital capabilities it offers the platform allows ICAO to develop tools to support implementation planning at regional and national levels, and assist in the management and prioritization of the technical work programme of ICAO in the field of air navigation. GLOBAL STRATEGIC LEVEL The global strategic level provides high- level strategic direction for decision makers to drive the evolution of the global air navigation system. The vision of this document is the creation of a globally interoperable air navigation system, as well as a proactive, integrated and common approach to emerging challenges and opportunities stemming from aviation and technology trends. The evolution, driven by this vision and reflected in the conceptual roadmap, will create a high-performing global air navigation system, which will meet the ever-growing expectations of society and reduce global disparities. The conceptual roadmap aims to transform the air navigation system based on strengths and opportunities, rather than to simply improve it, by providing a more holistic approach to its evolution. The realization of this vision requires strong commitment and investment from all members of the aviation community. The global air navigation system is becoming more complex as it accommodates new demand. 22 | ICAO JOURNAL | ISSUE 2 | 2019 THE AIR NAVIGATION EVOLUTIONCIVIL AVIATION STATISTICS 2017, USD (TABLE 1) $2.7 TRILLION Global economic activity supported by aviation 65.5 MILLION Jobs worldwide supported by aviation 1,303 Commercial airlines 3,759 Airports with scheduled commercial flights 31,717 Commercial aircraft in service 170 ANSPs 45,091 ATS routes 20,032 Unique city-pair ATS routes 4.1 BILLION Passengers 41.9 MILLION Scheduled commercial flights worldwide 7.75 TRILLION Passenger kilometres 62 MILLIONTonnes of cargo $6 TRILLIONValue of transported cargo 35%Of all international trade by value Transformation is therefore not an end goal in itself, but the way to achieve the vision. The strategy for transforming the air navigation system does not only respond to performance ambitions but also to the ambitions of many States and regions wanting to make increased use of available and emerging technologies. GLOBAL TECHNICAL LEVEL The realization of the global air navigation system transformation lives in the technical managers who, with the support of the decision makers they report to, continue to improve the air navigation system. While one size does not fit all and there is no set end date for the evolution of the air navigation system, continuous improvements will ensure that the system adapts to global, regional and local opportunities and challenges in a timely and orderly manner. Derived from the global strategic level, the global technical level is designed to support technical managers in planning implementation of basic services and new operational improvements in a scalable and cost-effective manner, according to specific operational and Multilayers Structure of the GANP Level 1: Global Strategic Level 2: Global Technical Level 3: Regional Level 4: National performance needs, while ensuring interoperability of systems and harmonization of procedures. The global technical level encompass a series of interactive tools such as a performance dashboard, some technology roadmaps, and an Air Navigation System Performance Interactive Tool (AN-SPA). REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS The regional and national levels of the GANP ensure consistency from the development of operational improvements to their implementation and they provide the global aviation community with a common basis for short- and medium-term implementation planning. THE AIR NAVIGATION EVOLUTION www.ICAO.int | 23GANP PERFORMANCE AMBITIONS A HIGH-PERFORMING SYSTEM BY 2040 AND BEYOND (TABLE 2) KPA AMBITION ACCESS AND EQUITYNo member of the aviation community excluded or treated unfairly CAPACITY Nominal capacity easily scalable with demand Disruptive events do not interrupt service provision and do not significantly affect the performance of the system COST- EFFECTIVENESS No increase in the total direct cost of air navigation services while maintaining the safety and quality of service Significant increase in air navigation service productivity, irrespective of demand EFFICIENCYReduced gap between the flight efficiency achieved and desired optimum trajectory of airspace users ENVIRONMENTAir navigation services-induced inefficiencies progressively removed in support of the global ICAO aspirational goals for CO2 emissions Benefits from achieved flight efficiency gains FLEXIBILITYAbsorption of required changes to individual business and operational trajectories INTEROPERABILITYCompatibility of systems at an operational and technical level PARTICIPATION BY THE ATM COMMUNITY Pre-agreed level of participation for maximum shared use of air navigation resources PREDICTABILITYNo increase in the variability of air navigation services delivery, including asset availability SAFETYZero air navigation service-related accidents and a significant (50%) reduction in air navigation service-related serious incidents SECURITYZero significant disruptions due to cyber incidents The regional level addresses regional and sub-regional performance and operational needs, diversities, constraints and opportunities, through the ICAO regional air navigation plans (ANPs) and other regional initiatives aligned with the global strategic and technical levels. The national level focuses on State planning. The development of national air navigation plans, in coordination with relevant stakeholders and aligned with regional and global plans, is a strategic part of the State’s national aviation planning framework, and is crucial to achieve the common vision outlined in the GANP. The sixth edition of the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) aims to turn the challenges stemming from a new era in aviation into opportunities so that aviation can continue to boost social well-being worldwide. Furthermore, it is a call for action to all aviation stakeholders, at global, regional and national levels, to join efforts toward a common vision through the implementation of an evolutionary transformation of the air navigation system driven by performance. The development of the 6th Edition of the GANP is a collective effort of States, industry, aviation and non-aviation stakeholders to continue to empower the air transport system to provide for social wellbeing, promoting the use of advanced technologies and optimizing human capabilities and capacity, according to Ms Olga De Frutos, the Air Navigation Technical Officer responsible for the development and maintenance of the GANP. Embedded in the GANP are globally agreed performance ambitions (Table 2). To track these performance ambitions, the multidisciplinary group managed by Ms De Frutos developed a conceptual roadmap that highlights that the next 20 years will be a period of transformational change for the aviation sector. New types of aircraft, vehicles and airspace users are introducing a next-generation of operating models to aviation through the application of advanced technologies and sophisticated operational decision- making processes in an integrated manner. The conceptual roadmap brings together the opportunities that rising digital technologies of the information and full connectivity are bringing to the aviation community. Given the forecast of traffic growth and multiple business and mission objectives, the tactical management of flight operations based on static, individual and unique management of air navigation resources will no longer be sufficient. A new paradigm based on the ability to manage, describe and communicate constraints at increasingly finer levels of resolution, as well as the capability to accept and react to inputs and data not only internal but also external to the system, is key. Such a paradigm is also essential to leveraging the availability of air navigation resources and maximizing the system’s inherent performance. This is the objective of the 6th Edition of the GANP,;to support the evolution of the air navigation system to all users and promote social wellbeing. 24 | ICAO JOURNAL | ISSUE 2 | 2019 THE AIR NAVIGATION EVOLUTIONSINGAPORE STATE PROFILE STRIDING TOWARDS A NEW ERA ©JEWEL CHANGI AIRPORT DEVT THE GROWTH OF AVIATION 2019 marks the 75th year since the founding of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with the signing of the Chicago Convention in 1944. Over these years, aviation has been an important socio- economic driver. Today, the sector supports some 65 million jobs and generates nearly USD 2.7 trillion in economic benefits globally. Air traffic has grown rapidly with airfares and freight charges falling, making air travel more accessible. The sector has been innovative, with aircraft design and engine technology enabling faster air travel, longer distances, with greater fuel efficiency. Aviation safety is at a record high with an all-time low accident rate. These positive developments in air transport have in turn promoted international connectivity, commerce, and cooperation. Change and transformation are the future of aviation. International passenger traffic is projected to double to 7.8 billion passengers per annum by 2036. Policymakers, industry, and aviation workers will have to embrace technological advancements and innovations, such as artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things, and quantum computing, as well as the integration and intelligent designing of processes and procedures. AUGMENTING CAPACITY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES As a small city state with limited natural resources, Singapore has grown and prospered by being innovative, nimble, and adaptable to changes. Openness to change is at the core of our DNA since the founding of modern Singapore two hundred years ago. It can never be merely business-as-usual. Therefore, our civil aviation community is pursuing innovation and technology to augment our capacity, safety, and operational efficiency. Innovation is occurring within the context of the larger “TO THE YOUNG AND TO THE NOT SO OLD, I SAY, LOOK AT THAT HORIZON, FOLLOW THAT RAINBOW, GO RIDE IT” ~ Mr Lee Kuan Yew, founding father of Singapore ©LIEW TONG LENG Rainbow framing the welcome salute at Changi Airportnational Smart Nation initiative, which seeks to build a leading economy powered by digital innovation and a world-class city with high quality of life for our people and social cohesion. Singapore is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into the research and development of new innovation and technology to advance Air Traffic Management (ATM) for Singapore, the region, and the world. Some of the projects look into regional airspace capacity enhancement for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), regional Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) for the Asia Pacific, and ground-breaking work in Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM). Projects in the pipeline include open ATM systems, space-based Very High Frequency (VHF), and applying artificial intelligence for speech recognition and conflict resolution. One of the key projects in development is the smart digital control tower for assistive functionalities and features to enhance ATM and increase operational efficiencies for Changi Airport when traffic volume multiplies. The smart control tower effectively digitises the analogue airfield environment. It remotely recreates on screens the same panoramic view from a physical control tower, overcoming many physical limitations such as visual restrictions, blind spots, and capacity constraints. “Data tags” with key aircraft information including call sign, speed, altitude, and destination airport would provide valuable data points for analytics, improve performance, and enhance the Air Traffic Controller’s situational awareness. Changi Airport is also pursuing improvements through technology and automation. Some of the initiatives being developed include the automation of baggage loading onto narrow body aircraft, automation of cargo and baggage sorting, and use of airside autonomous vehicles. Regulatory sandboxes are used for proof-of-concept trials conducted within controlled ©LIEW TONG LENG Gardens by the Bay – Singapore’s innovative spirit at workNext >