PARIS: The aviation sector must meet “ambitious” targets set out in the Paris Climate Accords to reduce its carbon footprint, the head of an international air transport body said on Tuesday.
Delegates from the 193 member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are meeting at the UN agency’s Montreal headquarters from Tuesday to October 7 for its 41st Quarterly Assembly.
In light of air transport’s major role in the climate crisis, the Assembly will review its symbolic “long-term goal”: reducing aviation’s net emissions by mid-century.
The proposal would be subject to a majority vote – which looks unlikely against a backdrop of diplomatic deadlock and the energy crisis.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director-general Willie Walsh said on Tuesday that it would be a “failure” for the industry if the next assembly failed to highlight that commitment.
“I think we have to be realistic that, in the current environment, anything less than ICAO agreeing to this long-term aspirational goal of net zero in 2050 would be a huge disappointment,” Walsh said.
IATA represents 290 airlines — or about 83% of global air traffic.
The goal of zero emissions is part of efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
“I think anything of that is embarrassing and this assembly will be seen as a failure,” Walsh warned, adding that the industry had an “important and ambitious target” to meet.
He urged ICAO to engage governments and regulators and “agree on our long-term aspirational goal of net zero in 2050.”
Emphasizing a move towards sustainable aviation fuel as “a key driver to achieving our goals”, Walsh urged governments to incentivize their increased production for traditional suppliers.
Sustainable fuels can reduce life-cycle CO2 emissions by about 80 percent compared to fossil fuel-derived kerosene.
But to date, they account for a small proportion of aviation fuels due to the still limited production capacity.
