UN Aviation Group Vows to Achieve Net Zero by 2050

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More than 200 countries and organizations at a United Nations aviation gathering formally pledged to reach net zero by 2050, a goal that includes aspirations to increase the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a collective long-term global aspirational goal to reach net zero. The organization says to reach the target it also needs to accelerate the adoption of new aircraft technologies, offset carbon, and streamline flight operations. To help with increasing the deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), ICAO also formed a program to increase investment and financing of the clean fuel. The net-zero vow came at the end of a two-week meeting in Montreal of ICAO members from 184 countries and 57 organizations.

Aviation accounted for 2.4% of the world’s emissions in 2018, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. However, with increased air traffic and the slow advancement of sustainable technologies, some estimates see aviation emissions tripling by 2050 without considerable improvements.

ICAO previously established emissions standards for new aircraft and says 135 countries have voluntarily submitted plans to lower aviation emissions. The commitment made in Montreal does not set targets specifically by country or airline, and the organization doesn’t have the authority to make regulations based on the overall 2050 goal.

The United Kingdom is an example of a nation that recently outlined its intention for aviation emissions improvements. The UK calls for domestic air travel and all airports in the country to achieve net zero by 2040. Similar to the ICAO goal, the UK plans to create a SAF mandate, develop zero-emissions aircraft, and develop carbon removal technologies.

Some countries could be slower to adapt, and the New York Times reported that China and India said in ICAO discussions that their airlines would need until 2060 or 2070 to achieve net zero. Dan Rutherford of the International Council on Clean Transportation told the Associated Press that aviation emissions will need to start decreasing as soon as 2025 for the industry to hit net zero by 2050.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that SAF could contribute 65% of the industry’s emissions reduction needed to reach net zero. In order to do so, there needs to be an increase of more than 118.6 billion gallons of SAF production by 2050. The ITA says progress is being made with more than 50 airlines having used SAF, 38 countries implementing SAF policies, and $17 billion in SAF purchase agreements this year.

Last year a group of major US airlines pledged to make 2 billion gallons of SAF available by 2030, which would require an 84% annual increase in production. Several companies recently revealed SAF advances, including Honeywell developing an ethanol processing technology and Air Company making SAF from captured carbon. At the end of 2021, United said it became the first airline to operate a commercial flight using 100% SAF.

The World Economic Forum’s Target True Zero initiative is studying other zero-emission aircraft possibilities, such as using electric and hydrogen technologies.

ICAO also completed the first periodic review of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation at the conference. Members agreed on a new baseline for the program, which is a baseline of 85% of carbon emissions in 2019 from 2024 and beyond. It will use revised percentages for sectoral and individual growth factors to calculate carbon offsetting requirements beginning in 2030.