International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) director general Kurt Edwards highlighted business aviation’s commitment to sustainability and the need for innovative approaches such as book-and-claim during the third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3), which began today.
Running until November 24, the conference is bringing together global state officials with stakeholders involved in clean energy, including the participation of a range of representatives from the business aviation community.
In his remarks, Edwards underscored the business aviation sector’s drive toward net zero by 2050 and its belief that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a pivotal component in achieving that goal. He also noted that book-and-claim is critical in the short term.
“Business aviation recognizes the importance of exploring innovative solutions that not only align with our environmental goals but also uphold the operational excellence and flexibility that define the business aviation sector. This is precisely why the concept of 'book-and-claim' accounting methodologies has gained significant traction within our community,” he said. “Business aviation can and does fly to many more aerodromes that airlines regularly fly to. As you can imagine, SAF isn’t yet readily available in many of these, often smaller, aerodromes.”
In the meantime, he added, book-and-claim “can allow for the transparent procurement of SAF—while also ensuring that SAF’s environmental credits are available even when SAF isn’t—and have proven instrumental in enabling us to effectively manage our carbon footprint without compromising the operational agility essential to our industry.”
Also, Edwards endorsed the Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accountability’s (CoSAFA) efforts to develop a standardized accounting approach to SAF. “Through our work with CoSAFA, we are fostering a transparent marketplace for SAF procurement, bolstering confidence and trust as we collectively work towards a more sustainable and resilient future.”
Also attending CAAF/3 are Claude Hurley, director of IBAC environment and flight operations, and Ali Alnaqbi, chair of the IBAC Governing Board and chair of the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), among other industry leaders.