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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has pledged to work more closely with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to advance transparency and integrity in tracking progress of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
The joint announcement, which was made at ICAO Aviation Climate Week, comes before airline CEOs are due to meet in Rio de Janeiro for the IATA Annual General Meeting June 6-8.
“Close collaboration between industry and states, underpinned by robust systems and high-quality data, will aim to enable transparent and credible tracking of aviation cleaner energies and their contribution toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in alignment with the respective IATA and ICAO ambitions and commitments,” the two organizations said.
Boosting access to SAF is a key concern for airlines as they attempt to speed up progress on their emissions-reduction goals, while in the shorter-term, the jet fuel crisis while be an important area of focus for airline CEOs at the meeting in Brazil.
Since the Iran war started Feb. 28, airlines have been struggling with immediate concerns about managing high jet fuel prices and ensuring access to enough fuel, as well as looking ahead to the longer-term impact the crisis could have on the industry.
High fuel prices have also highlighted the strategic importance SAF could play in the future, allowing different regions to better secure their own jet fuel needs rather than relying on imports.
Regarding SAF, IATA and ICAO agreed to explore how SAF registries and the data they collect can support the implementation of the ICAO Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) Monitoring and Reporting (LMR) methodology, as well as the consideration of fuel accounting systems for international aviation.
“Credible tracking is necessary to know the emissions reductions delivered by SAF,” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said. “By working with ICAO to strengthen how progress on SAF use is measured and reported, we can accelerate deployment, build trust across stakeholders, and put aviation on track for net zero by 2050. This will set a great example for individual states to work with industry to make the most of the SAF data that is being accumulated.”
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar said, “Achieving ICAO’s vision of net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050 will require unprecedented levels of transparency and cooperation across the entire sector.”
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