The recent G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting, which took place in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, from 1 to 4 October 2024, acknowledged ICAO’s ongoing efforts to decarbonise the aviation sector. Juan Carlos Salazar, the ICAO Secretary General, took an active role in the event. He stressed the importance of the clean energy transition within aviation, aligning it with global energy challenges and presenting ICAO’s current work to the G20 Energy Ministers.
During the Roundtable on “Unlocking Future Fuels” held on 3 October, Mr. Salazar discussed the significance of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and other clean energy sources in helping ICAO meet its long-term goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. He highlighted the advancements in the industry, noting that 125 airports worldwide are now distributing SAF, with more than 330 production facilities currently active. These fuels are approved for blending with conventional jet fuel up to 50%, and the aim is to enable 100% SAF commercial operations in the near future.
The Secretary General provided further details on the progress of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Over 40 national or regional policies related to SAF have either been adopted or are in development. More than 50 billion litres of SAF are currently under offtake agreements. In addition, over 40 SAF feedstocks have been recognised by CORSIA, which is ICAO’s scheme for reducing carbon emissions in international aviation.
On 4 October, Mr. Salazar took part in the G20 Special Session, focusing on sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. He highlighted the importance of the ICAO Global Framework for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF), and other cleaner aviation energies. This framework, which was adopted during the Third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels in Dubai last year, aims to accelerate the global development and deployment of these cleaner energy solutions for aviation. According to Mr. Salazar, ICAO and its member states are committed to reducing international aviation CO₂ emissions by 5% by 2030, through the use of these cleaner energies.
He also pointed out ICAO’s efforts to assist countries and stakeholders in scaling up production and financing sustainable fuels. He explained the role of the ICAO Assistance, Capacity-building, and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF) programme, which offers support to over 180 states and organisations that are at different stages of SAF development and deployment.
In terms of the next steps, Mr. Salazar introduced the ICAO Finvest Hub in Brazil. This initiative is designed to help facilitate access to public and private financing for aviation decarbonisation projects. During the G20 meeting, the Finvest initiative took a major step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between ICAO and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
ICAO’s contributions and progress at the G20 Energy Ministerial Meeting have substantially boosted global momentum towards the organisation’s decarbonisation objectives, encouraging international collaboration and driving faster implementation of sustainable aviation measures across the globe.
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