Viewpoint: A Call to Action For SAF Users In Business Aviation

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) released its Action and Market Instruments (AMI) Phase I white paper, alongside a request for information (RFI), which marks the first step in a multiyear process to provide clarity on how instruments like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) book-and-claim may be reflected in corporate greenhouse gas accounting.

For an industry that has been awaiting clearer guidance on SAF-related claims, this is a pivotal moment.

For business aviation, this is a rare opportunity to help shape a framework that reflects both environmental integrity and operational reality. Engaging now can help ensure that future guidance supports the industry’s role in decarbonization.

Consider responding to the RFI by May 31 and share it with your organization’s sustainability team for their input as well.

Why Should SAF Users In Business Aviation Care?

Nearly 11,000 companies worldwide now have near-term climate targets or net-zero goals, and 94% of Russell 1000 companies and 99% of S&P 500 companies report on sustainability. Corporate flight departments are increasingly expected to help meet these commitments.

However, aviation presents unique complexities in emissions accounting for corporations using the GHG Protocol—the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting framework—driven by varied ownership structures, layered decision-making hierarchies and complex regulatory landscapes.

Existing guidance from entities like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides a foundation for understanding aviation emissions. But accounting for emissions reductions from SAF—particularly through book-and-claim mechanisms—remains uncertain. This ambiguity can make it more difficult for organizations to confidently use or invest in SAF or communicate its benefits internally and externally.

GHGP is now undertaking its most significant update to corporate accounting guidance in more than a decade—the same decade that SAF came into use. Because GHGP underpins widely used frameworks such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), California Climate Disclosures, and others, the outcome will influence whether and how SAF-related emissions reductions can be recognized—and, by extension, the role aviation can play in achieving corporate climate goals. More nuanced guidance that reflects real-world aviation practices could help better align SAF use with corporate climate targets and support continued investment in lower-carbon aviation solutions.

How To Participate

This RFI is an opportunity for business aviation SAF users to provide real-world, experience-based input.

4AIR will be submitting a response, but individual company input is equally important, especially from operators, fuel providers and corporate sustainability teams navigating these issues firsthand.

Access the materials here:

•            GHGP AMI Phase I White Paper

•            RFI Submission Details

A Phase II paper and full draft standard for public consultation are also expected in 2027, where we expect to receive additional details from GHGP about the ability to make emissions reductions claims using SAF book-and-claim.

The bottom line: The rules that determine how SAF “counts” are still being written.

The more perspectives shared, the stronger the outcome will be.