International aviation conference sets 5% carbon reduction goal

MONTREAL, Canada — Governments attending the Third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) from Nov. 20-24 in Dubai, set a goal that aviation fuel in 2030 be 5% less carbon intensive than current fuels by 2030, according to a Monday announcement from Airports Council International.

According to the announcement, governments from more than 100 states across the globe set the goal, which will be achieved through a transition to sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, lower carbon aviation fuels — also known as LCAF — and other cleaner energies.

“ACI applauds and supports the visionary ICAO goal for 5% carbon intensity reduction by 2030 — it will be crucial to delivering the ICAO Long Term Aspirational Goal of net zero carbon emission by 2050,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira. “ACI was present and engaged at ICAO CAAF/3, advocating on behalf of airports for this goal — this is a prime example of how regulators and industry can work together.

According to the statement, attendees of the ICAO CAAF/3 conference also agreed on a Global Framework for Cleaner Energies, which provides assistance to help states with the transition to cleaner fuel. 

“Airports are already taking action in a number of ways, most importantly by engaging with fuel suppliers, airlines, and local and national regulators,” Oliveira said. “Despite the transition to SAF already underway with policy measures being implemented or discussed in around 40 countries, supportive policies will be crucial to speed up the development and supply of SAF globally.”

The statement said ACI, the trade association of the world’s airports, is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, ACI Europe, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America. As of January 2023, ACI serves 712 members, operating 1925 airports in 171 countries.