ACI has urged state representatives at an upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting to reach an agreement on a Long-term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) for CO2 emissions reductions.
The aviation industry, ministers and high-level officials from states will gather at ICAO’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada, from July 19-22, for the ‘high-level meeting’ on the feasibility of a long-term aspirational goal for international aviation CO2 emissions reductions.
State representatives will examine the outcomes from the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection and seek to make policy commitments in preparation for the 41st Session of the ICAO Assembly, a triennial event that establishes the worldwide policy of the organization for the next three years.
Airports Council International (ACI) World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific, ACI Europe, ACI Latin America-Caribbean and ACI North America are jointly calling on states to reach a meaningful agreement to establish a clear regulatory framework in which the aviation industry can thrive while continuing to deliver socio-economic benefits to the world.
Sustainability leadership by airports
ACI and its member airports have already committed, at the global level, to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 with support from governments. More than 130 ACI member airports have brought forward their targets to 2030 or even earlier. Some are planning for net zero by 2040 while others will need more support to develop and implement their decarbonization roadmaps. ACI is working with governments and other sectors to support all its members in reaching these ambitious but achievable objectives.
ACI and its member airports are also part of the Air Transport Action Group’s (ATAG) net zero carbon goal for aviation emissions, under which the global aviation industry (airlines, airports, air traffic management and aircraft/engine manufacturers) has aligned with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C goal.
Airport Carbon Accreditation – the global airport carbon management certification standard – has grown over the past 15 years to include 403 airports certified at all levels of the program in 79 countries across the world. Of these, 87 airports are either carbon neutral or pursuing the highest levels of the program. Ten airports have already achieved net zero.
The need for a unified global goal
ACI has said that it recognizes the need for assistance in the industry transition and urges governments to tackle climate change by balancing the need for many states to grow their economies and continuing to ensure the benefits of sustainable development for society. According to ACI, collaboration is the catalyst, by providing benefits to all stakeholders. An agreement at the global level at ICAO is essential to provide consistency among policies and avoid unintended consequences.
Therefore, airports, working with other aviation business leaders, are calling on governments meeting at ICAO to agree on a decarbonization goal for the long term, aligned with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C goal and the global aviation industry objective of net zero by 2050, and to do so in advance of the ICAO Assembly.
ACI believes that a global agreement on the ICAO Long-term Aspirational Goal would help provide the necessary regulatory certainty for investment and finance to be granted, particularly for the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and other solutions as they mature.
