ICAO Assembly to Consider Topics that Impact Business Aviation

(National Business Aviation Association) ... In addition to these important themes, another topic that will take center stage during the Assembly is whether to agree on a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.

The business aviation sector, among others, has outlined the path to meet this ambitious goal, which involves the use of sustainable aviation fuel and other new technologies, operational improvements, infrastructure modernization and carbon offsets. Achieving this goal will require action and support from a range of stakeholders, including governments. Learn more about business aviation and sustainability.

There are many countries that support this aspirational environmental goal, but there are a number of states that vocally oppose it. This latter group believes that the responsibilities of countries with newer or emerging air transport capabilities should be treated differently than those with more mature systems. However, the Chicago Convention applies equally to all signatories, creating, in principle, a harmonized global air transport system.

The debate over this long-term goal will revolve around how to differentiate between countries and will be the most challenging topic on which to reach consensus.

At past ICAO Assemblies in which climate-related debates took place, the industry-proposed solution formed the basis for consensus approval. The industry’s proposed path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 provides the way forward for this Assembly, where it will be critical that the aviation community and governments both agree on an ambitious, yet feasible, solution. READ MORE