Penang: A total of 88 aviation experts from the region and Europe gathered here for the ASEAN Workshop on Aviation Sustainability – Operational Improvements and Efficiency Gains to discuss various aviation-related topics, including a focus on carbon emission measurements and airspace efficiency.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) hosted the three-day workshop with support from other relevant agencies. AirAsia chief sustainability officer Yap Mun Ching highlighted that the workshop brought together aviation stakeholders from across ASEAN to explore innovative strategies to achieve net-zero emissions and address the growing demand for greater collaboration between regulators and airlines.

Yap emphasized the importance of working with regulators to implement net-zero strategies. She mentioned that one of the requests from CAAM and EASA was to support a workshop to improve the measurement of carbon emissions and implement new technologies, as well as to learn from Europe’s emissions mitigation plans. “A lot of times when you talk about aviation sustainability, you hear people talking about things like sustainable aviation fuels, maybe carbon offsetting, but the core of it is how efficiently you operate,” she told Bernama at the workshop’s reception.

Yap also noted that airlines are now looking to push further through innovation and closer coordination with air traffic management and control services. The event was graced by Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai and attended by CAAM deputy chief executive officer (regulator) Captain Md Jani Md Dom.

Malaysia, set to be the ASEAN chair in 2025, recently hosted the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from May 23-26 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. This marks its fifth ASEAN chairmanship, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.