The UK Civil Aviation Authority is to establish an environmental sustainability panel and has begun an open application process for potential members.
The new panel will act as an expert 'critical friend' of the organisation. Its key activities will include the provision of expert technical advice to support the CAA’s environmental roles, or on specific tasks as requested. It will also help the CAA to understand and take account of environmental interests and impacts in its regulatory policy and framework, in addition to supporting progress towards the authority’s strategic focus on improving environmental performance, including informing delivery of its forthcoming environmental sustainability strategy.
The panel will also provide advice or critique on research undertaken by the CAA, as well as helping identify where further research may be needed to inform the latter’s sustainability agenda.
The CAA has a number of roles, one of which is to support the aviation industry as it looks to manage and reduce its negative environmental impacts, including emissions and noise. Following the UK Government’s decision to wind down the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise (ICCAN) at the end of September 2021, the CAA will take on several new functions on noise by April 1, 2022.
Nic Stevenson, head of strategy for the Civil Aviation Authority, said, “The environmental sustainability panel will play an important role in helping us understand and address the important environmental issues facing aviation, including our new functions on noise. The success of this panel will depend on the quality of its membership, and we hope to find panel members who are informed, in touch and expert. We look forward to working with them in a constructive and collegiate way.”
