Dubai: The European Union and the United Arab Emirates jointly held a high-level session on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) during the Dubai Airshow 2025 Sustainability Programme, underscoring growing international cooperation to cut emissions in the aviation sector, reports Zawya.
The event was organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the UAE under the EU Green Diplomacy Weeks initiative, in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) and the EU-funded EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project. Senior policymakers, industry leaders and sector experts took part in discussions on scaling up SAF production, enabling supportive policy frameworks and building stronger cross-regional collaborations.
Talks centred on aligning global strategies to speed up the use of SAF, which is seen as critical for achieving net-zero aviation. Participants noted the compatibility between the EU’s RefuelEU Aviation Regulation — which requires a minimum 2% SAF blend by 2025, rising to 70% by 2050 — and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and National Hydrogen Strategy, which prioritise clean fuels in a diversified energy mix. They also highlighted ICAO’s global vision to reduce CO₂ emissions in international aviation by 5% by 2030 through increased SAF use.
H.E. Lucie Berger, Ambassador of the European Union to the UAE, said: “The European Union and the UAE share a common ambition to lead global efforts in sustainable aviation. By working together, we can unlock innovation, scale up clean fuel production, and create the partnerships needed to achieve climate neutrality.”
H.E. Eng. Saif Ghubash, Assistant Undersecretary for Petroleum, Gas and Mineral Resources at the UAE MoEI, said: “Sustainable aviation fuels are essential to achieving our national net-zero goals. Through collaboration with the EU, we aim to accelerate local production, strengthen supply chains and advance policies that support a greener aviation future.”
The session is part of the EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project, which strengthens partnerships in energy, environment and sustainable finance across the Gulf region, supporting shared net-zero goals and a more resilient global energy transition.
