More than a decade ago, the aviation sector set a series of lofty goals around aviation sustainability: improve fuel efficiency by 1.5% per annum; cap net CO2 emissions from 2020; and reduce net CO2 emissions by 50% relative to 2005 levels by 2050. IATA member airlines doubled down on their sustainability ambitions with the Fly Net-Zero Commitment agreed to in 2021.
Progress has been slow, and the industry can only now start to point to measurable steps on sustainability and meeting its goals. The transition away from conventional aviation fuel and towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is where the majority of the industry’s efforts are concentrated.
