This December marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the ‘Convention on International Civil Aviation’ – otherwise known as the Chicago Convention – on 7th December 1944. The Convention set about establishing the rules and principles surrounding the development of international civil air travel – seeking to enshrine the priorities of safety, sovereignty and equality of opportunity, across the world. The convention also established the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) – a specialised UN agency, which still operates in Montreal today.
Final Plenary Session, 7th December 1944
Since the convention was signed, ICAO has established more than 10,000 Standards and Recommend Practices (SARPs) – which outline the necessary techniques and standards required to improve the safety, efficiency and security of air travel.
The original convention itself is very much focused on laying down the boundaries and defining the notion of ‘state sovereignty’ in civil air travel – creating a balance between the various rights of states to manage their aviation activities; whilst ensuring that aircraft and air travel follow a set of universal guidelines to ensure the safety of their operation . Since then, the various Annex’s to the convention, and the 10,000 SARPs reflect the significant technological changes to the way air travel is operated – especially as in 1944 the worlds first Jet Airliner, the British deHaviland Comet, had yet to take to the skies.
But as UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, and US Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx gather at ICAO today – 70 years on, does the Convention’s key principles still resonate with the current, modern day issues for civil aviation? And how might ICAO’s focus and priorities shift over the next 70 years?
Recurring Themes
As mentioned above, the notion of state sovereignty in civil air travel is prevalent amongst the main articles of the 1944 convention. Whilst defining these clear boundaries may not be as contentious today, the significant growth in air travel demand, aircraft technology and airspace management means these principles are still important in a 2014 context.
The extent to which airspace is effectively managed by states is an on-going issue – particularly as some nations impose restraints on airspace access due to military use which, while remaining a distinct right, may be detrimental to the growth of civil aviation in their country. In addition, the work undertaken by the EU and US on air space management improvements (Single European Sky (SES) / Next Gen) also builds on the notion of air space sovereignty – especially as SES seeks to create a more united European airspace block to improve flight paths and aircraft efficiencies.
Alongside this, the statement in Chicago which mentions the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight is particularly poignant after the recent MH17 disaster. Whilst ICAO member states are not divided on their opposition to the use of weapons against civil aircraft, the threat to civil operations which fly over disputed territories remains of vital importance – as well as developing the effective intelligence, notification and information sharing amongst states, which is needed to help to enshrine this principle even further.
Shifting Priorities
One notable absence from any of the text in the Chicago Convention is reference to the environment. In the context of civil aviation in 1944 however, this is not surprising – as aviation was an expensive luxury, and the notion of emissions from 20,000 active aircraft in 2014 could not have been envisaged.
Now however, much of ICAO’s work is geared towards environmental development and mitigation – especially with forecasts for another 20,000 new aircraft set to be delivered over the next 20 years. The work towards a Global Market Based Measure (MBM) for aviation ahead of the 2016 General Assembly is an important part of this focus – yet also ties into the notion of sovereignty, due to the dispute surrounding the international context of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme over the last few years.
There is also a significant technological element to ICAO’s work now and in the future which – whilst important in the 1950s/60s – involves perhaps more areas of focus than ever before. On the environmental side, ICAO will continue the work of developing emissions standards for new aircraft engines – seeking to balance the reduction of environmental effects, against the need for continued innovation. In addition, the extended use of composite materials in civil aircraft increases ICAOs focus towards managing safety and more than ever, requires greater dialogue with manufacturers on how aviation can continue to grow safely, efficiently, as well as quietly.
Technological innovation will also take on much greater importance due to the development of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) – as their technology matures and the benefits of their civil use are explored in the decades ahead.
70 years on, the position of ICAO at the centre of international civil aviation remains – and many of the key principles set out in 1944 remain at the heart of ICAO’s agenda. However, the global air transport industry has developed beyond anything the signatories in 1944 could ever have imaged – with a new set of priorities and hurdles than ever before. The next 70 years will be about understanding new technology and fostering innovation, increasing aviation’s comitment to environmental protection and ensuring that safety remains the paramount principle as air travel demand continues to grow.
