The Sustainability of the Genera Civil Aviation Authority

Introduction

Sustainability involves critical activities undertaken by organizations that are socially just, ecologically sound, and economically viable for a greater benefit of the present and future generations. In the UAE, the GCAA has been identified as one of the companies that have been adhering to the sustainability development standards. For this reason, this report opts for the GCAA Company in its entire sustainability discussion. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was started in 1996 by the Federal Cabinet Decree under Law 4 for the purpose of providing designated aviation services and controlling the civil aviation generally. GCAA is a private company located in the UAE, Dubai. It has four branches, three of them are within Emirates and the other is in Canada. Branches in the UAE include the Abu Dhabi Office, Dubai, and Sheikh Zayed Center Office, which have the same time of operation, namely, five days in a week. The GCAA Montreal Office is located in Canada. The company is tasked with close observance of the safety and security of the aviation industry within the UAE and its environment. The GCAA is a successful and well-performing company, from which many firms all over the world would like to learn. Its vision remains providing a secure, leading, sustainable, and safe civil aviation framework that does not only benefit the shareholders, but also all stakeholders (Umeda et al., 2015). Supported by core values like security, integrity, safety and efficiency, GCAA Company’s mission is to oversee and regulate all aspects of aviation safety, deliver quality air navigation and facilitate civil aviation industry services. The paper focuses on sustainability projects undertaken by the GCAA in the UAE and abroad in an attempt to analyze their effects on society at large.

Sustainability Projects

In response to Abu Dhabi customer needs, the GCAA adopted four prominent sustainability projects geared towards serving customers is an effective and safe manner.

Past Initiatives: Air Traffic Operation Project

The GCAA developed air traffic operation strategies through Airbus ProSky. The company was one of the key contributors to the economy in 2013, and its management speculated that air traffic was likely to grow. As a way of satisfying the increasing demand, the GCAA optimized its airspace, engaged in the understanding of airspace problems and implemented relevant strategies. The Chairman remarked that suitable aviation infrastructure readiness entails the accommodation of UAE strategies regarding the aviation aspects (Silvius, 2011). Airbus ProSky was selected to come up with a conceptual design meant for the UAE route airspace. The project incorporated collaborative air traffic as well as an operational trial in the process of gaining an appropriate strategy relevant to the UAE environment (Ferraz & Munslow, 2010).

Present Initiatives: Recycling and Water-Saving Programs

Water is crucial in human everyday activities, so putting this program of recycling water on the main agenda is the key issue since it can make life better for living creatures. It will be relevant enough for the GCAA to invest resources in ensuring if possible the improvement of the ecosystem and the environment. The program is crucial as more water is saved, and therefore, aquatic life is made easier, especially for those animals that face the danger of extinction due to the lack of enough and sufficient clean water. In addition, this reduces the cost of accessing water. Following a high demand for potable water resources, this program will really provide a great percentage of the latter, ensuring that water is available at all times (Umeda et al., 2015).

Future Plans

The organization aims to ensure the aviation sector of the GCAA keeps in touch with the latest developments in the aviation industry through setting a number of programs. In the future, the GCAA plans to implement innovations in air traffic in accordance with the UAE ATM plans. In addition, the aviation authority can focus on additional areas that will incorporate mutual logistics in planning arrangements. The UAE has plans to have a UAE Civil Aviation Day that will highlight the importance of the legacy that the GCAA has left from its beginning (Umeda et al., 2015).

Analysis of the Impacts of the GCAA

Considering the economic pillar of sustainability, company’s policies have helped in creating new products in the market. For example, through the initiative of recycling water, many employment opportunities have been opened. It has made business people benefit through the purchasing of equipment used in making machines that recycle water (Jauhari, 2002; Haggar, 2007). From the same perspective, renewable clean energy is created providing a cheap source of power. Consequently, this makes production cheap and affordable in industries. Thus, as far as the social pillar of sustainability is concerned, goods and services are accessible to many who could not have had an opportunity to buy them (Haggar, 2007). Equally, GCAA strategies have negative impacts since many natural living creatures, such as birds, are disturbed as a result of the implementation of some projects. For example, birds that fly above are affected through the creation of wind power. The latter is likely to affect birds’ movement through the turning turbines (Silvius, 2011).