Uganda backs global bid to decarbonise aviation by 2050
“ICAO and its member states, including Uganda, established the global collective aspiration to reduce aviation carbon emissions by 5% in 2030 through the use of sustainable aviation fuel and cleaner energies,” Bamwesigye said.
Participants from the aviation industry and environmental stakeholders attended the training aimed at reducing aviation carbon emissions. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)
Julius Luwemba
Journalist @New Vision
WAKISO - The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has launched a capacity-building initiative aimed at equipping various aviation stakeholders with the knowledge and understanding of technologies and policy frameworks for sustainable aviation fuels, as a key strategy to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
The training, which commenced on April 22, 2025, at Premier Best Western Hotel in Entebbe Municipality, attracted aviation professionals from different companies and environmental agencies.
The initiative is part of programmes launched by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2023 to enhance cooperation on international aviation environmental protection. Fred Bamwesigye, the UCAA director general, pledged Uganda’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions in aviation by 2050.
“ICAO and its member states, including Uganda, established the global collective aspiration to reduce aviation carbon emissions by 5% in 2030 through the use of sustainable aviation fuel and cleaner energies,” Bamwesigye said.
Cesar Velarde, director of the air transport bureau at ICAO, said the two-day workshop offers Uganda a valuable opportunity to build capacity in support of the global environmental protection agenda.
“This engagement will strengthen your familiarisation with sustainable aviation fuels, their benefits, challenges, and how they can be produced and promoted,” Velarde noted. He also thanked the United Kingdom government for sponsoring the training to ensure Uganda keeps pace with developed countries in the aviation sector.
Fred Bamwesigye, the UCAA director general opening a workshop on sustainable aviation fuels in Entebbe. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)
Justus Nyunja, ICAO deputy regional director, described the project as a significant step towards achieving ICAO’s long-term goal of net-zero carbon emissions.
“It emphasises the importance of sustainable practices in aviation, recognising that each state will contribute in a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable manner,” he remarked.
He emphasised that sustainable aviation fuels are crucial to reducing emissions in the aviation sector.
Eng. Ronny Barongo, UCAA director for safety, security and economic regulation, explained that the ICAO global framework for sustainable aviation fuels comprises four key building blocks: policy and planning, regulatory framework, implementation support, and financing.
“During the ICAO conference in November 2023, a framework on sustainable aviation fuel was launched with the aim of facilitating policy support and financing, promoting capacity building and technology transfer—especially for developing countries—and setting a 2030 Vision for sustainable aviation fuels,” Barongo said.
He called on both the government and the private sector to support the achievement of ICAO’s common initiative that “no country should be left behind.”
The workshop drew participants from the Ministry of Energy, university academics, members of the National Oil Company, representatives from airline companies, and the National Environment Management Authority, among others.