International Civil Aviation Organization advances aviation decarbonisation at COP29

Credit: International Civil Aviation Organization

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has announced that it has gained significant international backing for aviation’s decarbonisation efforts during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29). ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano spearheaded pivotal discussions to advance the sector’s transition to clean energy.

On the opening day of COP29, ICAO held a strategic briefing session at the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Pavilion, emphasising its role in international aviation’s contributions to SDG 13 on climate action. The event celebrated Azerbaijan’s State Civil Aviation Agency joining over 200 global partners in ICAO’s Assistance, Capacity-building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (ACT-SAF) programme.

Highlighting the sector’s critical role in global connectivity, President Sciacchitano reaffirmed ICAO’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. He stressed that meeting this ambitious goal under the Paris Agreement requires enhanced collaboration, capacity-building, and financing for sustainable fuel production and usage.

At the COP29 World Leaders Climate Action Summit on 12 November, Sciacchitano participated in the High-Level Roundtable on Energy, sharing progress on aviation’s energy transition under ICAO’s leadership.

ICAO’s diplomatic efforts included a significant meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to address global aviation challenges in the climate context. Additional high-level talks were held with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Director-General Francesco La Camera, and senior officials from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

These engagements yielded critical advancements, including coordinated strategies for managing emissions from international transport, enhanced implementation of the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and discussions on accessing carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The ICAO Finvest Hub, aimed at mobilising investment in aviation clean energy projects, also gained momentum. Concurrently, ICAO addressed member states’ concerns about aviation taxation, highlighting potential financial impacts on air connectivity, particularly for developing nations.

ICAO’s participation extended through COP29, with active roles in Energy Day (15 November) and Transport Day (20 November), led by Jane Hupe, the ICAO Secretary General’s UNFCCC COP envoy.