ICAO conference kicks off in Dubai to accelerate global aviation`s transition towards cleaner energy sources

MONTREAL – Well over a hundred countries and one thousand delegates are convening in Dubai this week to firm up their collective commitments to boost global aviation’s transition towards Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF), and other cleaner energy sources. 

“CAAF/3 convenes just over a year after States’ landmark decision on the long-term global aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” emphasized ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano in his opening remarks to the event. “This agreement through ICAO is a testament to our ever progressive efforts to bring about coordinated action on cleaner aviation fuels and energy sources, which presently hold the greatest potential for us to take urgent action on aviation decarbonization.”

During 2023, ICAO conducted outreach activities and consultations to collect views among States and stakeholders on their expectations on a global framework that would facilitate the scale up in the development, production and deployment of aviation cleaner energies. Financial institutions and fuel producers were also consulted on the required actions to boost investments in aviation cleaner energy.

The third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) will  present a unique opportunity to consider a clear and robust global framework to respond to those expectations and build market confidence.  Key elements of this framework include a collective Vision for the clean energy ambition,  harmonized regulatory foundation, supporting implementation initiatives, and concrete means to facilitate financing so that “No Country is left behind”.

“While cleaner energy in aviation is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and ICAO is closely monitoring progress through its Tracker Tools and the LTAG Stocktaking process, substantial investments and financing in this field is still required. Countries have been clear that they expect ICAO to take the leadership role in bringing them together to agree on key priorities needed for the transition to cleaner energy to take place, and to provide a platform where they can develop the effective partnerships needed with the air transport, energy, and finance sectors to make sustainable aviation a global reality,” commented ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar.