In a press release issued on Monday 27 November, the European Commission welcomed the agreement reached on Friday 24 November at the Third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels. The agreement calls for a 5% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, through the increased use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and other cleaner aviation energies.
This decision “sends a strong and much-needed signal about the importance of mobilising investment in the production of sustainable aviation fuels worldwide”, commented Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean. “The EU was the first to define a clear and legally binding pathway for the supply and use of these fuels through our recently adopted ReFuelEU Aviation initiative , and we welcome this increased global ambition which will help us meet our own targets and accelerate the decarbonisation of aviation worldwide”, she added (see EUROPE 13267/35).
ICAO has agreed to review the ambition by 2028 to take account of market developments and new investment in production capacity around the world. The agreement puts in motion the historic decision adopted by the ICAO Assembly in 2022 to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions for international aviation by 2050. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)