IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the airline industry’s 2050 net-zero goal may need another look as sustainable aviation fuel production and access to carbon credits lag behind current targets. Speaking Sunday at IATA’s 82nd Annual General Meeting & World Air Transport Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Walsh said the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and SAF availability remain under pressure.
“I believe there’s still hope for 2050, but that is fading fast,” Walsh said during the IATA meeting. “We need an urgent dialogue to determine a realistic timeline given the current state of affairs.”
According to IATA, airlines will need between 170 million and 236 million eligible emissions units for the first phase of CORSIA. Walsh said 10 countries have made units available so far, totaling 38 million.
Walsh also said SAF production is not increasing fast enough to meet existing goals. IATA expects production to reach 2.4 million tons this year, enough to cover 0.8% of airline fuel demand. The industry’s 2050 target would require 500 million tons, or about 65% of fuel needs.
Walsh said governments should use production incentives before mandates and said any review should determine what each part of the aviation sector can deliver and when.
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