• The International Civil Aviation Organization secured global support for aviation’s transition to clean energy at the UN Climate Change Conference
• ICAO highlighted aviation’s role in climate action and its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement
• The organization hosted a briefing and presented recent achievements in sustainable aviation and contributions to UN SDG 13 on climate action
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) secured global support for aviation’s transition to clean energy at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).
ICAO hosted a strategic briefing at the UN Sustainable Development Goals Pavilion on November 11, showcasing recent achievements in sustainable aviation and emphasizing contributions to SDG 13 on climate action.
“While international aviation continues to play a pivotal role in global connectivity and economic growth, ICAO and its 193 Member States are committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in support of the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal,” ICAO Council president Salvatore Sciacchitano said in a statement. “Achieving the clean energy transition for aviation will require unprecedented efforts and collaboration towards capacity-building support and access to financing for the production and use of sustainable fuels.”
During the session Azerbaijan’s State Civil Aviation Agency of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport joined over 200 partners in ICAO’s Assistance, Capacity-building, and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (ACT-SAF) program, marking a significant expansion of efforts to develop and deploy sustainable aviation fuels.
Sciacchitano also addressed the high-level roundtable on energy at the COP29 World Leaders Climate Action Summit, where he presented the progress of aviation’s transition to clean energy.
In a bilateral meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Sciacchitano discussed the critical challenges facing global aviation in the context of climate change.
Additional high-level discussions were held with leaders from the International Maritime Organization, International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), World Bank representatives, and International Monetary Fund.
Key outcomes from the meetings included agreements on common approaches to reducing emissions in international transport sectors and progress on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which will allow the aviation industry to access carbon credits under the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
Discussions also advanced the operationalization of the ICAO Finvest Hub, designed to attract investments in aviation clean energy projects.
ICAO also raised member states’ concerns about proposed aviation taxes, highlighting that such measures could hinder the sector’s ability to finance climate action and negatively impact air connectivity in developing nations.
