ATNS Awarded Level 2 in CANSO’s GreenATM Environmental Accreditation

Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), the air navigation service provider (ANSP) in South Africa, was recently awarded Level 2 in CANSO’s GreenATM environmental accreditation programme.

Launched in 2022, the CANSO GreenATM programme offers a framework to assess an ANSP’s progress in environmental sustainability and operational efficiency. The accreditation has five levels, each representing increasingly ambitious standards for sustainability and environmental responsibility across ANSP facilities and airspace operations.

ATNS’ achievement of Level 2 included recognition of their significant efforts in areas such as:

• Environmental governance i.e., Environmental Policy and Planning; embedding an environmental culture and continued implementation and maintaining ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System that comprehensively covers its infrastructure, operations and services.
• Working towards improving efficiency in ATM, such as flexible use of airspace, trajectory optimisation, performance-based navigation (PBN) in en route and terminal airspace, air traffic flow management and improved surveillance coverage
• Having a mature environmental management plan with clear targets and a strong staff culture around sustainability issues.

“ATNS has reached an important milestone with their Level 2 accreditation in our GreenATM programme. Their efforts to adopt more sustainable practices highlight a genuine commitment to minimising aviation’s environmental footprint. We’re delighted to recognise their accomplishment and to support them as they continue making progress in this area,” said Simon Hocquard, CANSO Director General.

ATNS commented, “Reaching Level 2 in CANSO’s GreenATM accreditation marks a significant milestone for ATNS, especially as the organisation has been on a journey towards integrating environmentally sustainable practices into the business operations since 2013. Furthermore, in times when the world is increasingly shifting towards lowering environmental impacts and combatting climate change, participation in the programme is a significant validation of ATNS’ commitment. This programme has provided valuable insights into key areas where we can further embed environmental sustainability across our operations. We remain committed to working closely with industry partners and airspace users as we advance toward a more sustainable future in aviation."