The global association representing airlines cautioned on Tuesday that achieving a target of five percent sustainable fuel by 2030 is “extremely ambitious” if not impossible, reported AFP.
According to the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), producing a sufficient amount of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) would necessitate investments worldwide.
“We won’t commit to achieving something we don’t think is feasible,” remarked director general Willie Walsh during the annual discussions in Dubai. “I consider five percent SAF by 2030 to be extremely ambitious. It may be attained, and possibly surpassed, in certain regions of the world. However, considering the current production and investment landscape of SAF, it’s evident that it won’t be achieved globally.”
Nevertheless, Walsh affirmed that IATA’s objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 remained on schedule.
The five percent SAF target was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, at the conclusion of last year.
“It wasn’t IATA advocating for a five percent target by 2030,” Walsh clarified. “Of course, we will exert every effort to deliver as much as possible.”
IATA disclosed on Sunday that SAF production would triple this year, reaching 1.9 billion liters (1.5 million tonnes), which accounts for 0.53 percent of airlines’ overall fuel requirements.
The aviation sector, which generates around three percent of global CO2 emissions, primarily looks to SAF to achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by the mid-century.
