Story ID: 
Bizav Groups Release Policy Principles on Sustainability
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: In the run-up to a triennial ICAO meeting, business aviation groups have released policy principles to guide long-term carbon emissions reductions.
Word Count: 224
Business aviation groups today released policy principles to guide long-term carbon emissions reductions in the lead-up to the 41st International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Triennial Assembly this week. ICAO convenes its 193 member states every three years to set worldwide aviation policy, with the next such meeting starting tomorrow in Montreal and running through October 7.

The business aviation industry has committed to achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 under a voluntary Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change initiative. Sustainable aviation fuel, which can reduce aviation’s life cycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent, is key to reaching this goal.

Industry groups, including the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), have thus developed four guiding principles for the assembly that provide a roadmap for ensuring safety, security, and sustainability. They include fostering investments to increase SAF production and availability; encouraging greater use of industry initiatives such as SAF book-and-claim; supporting innovations such as electric-powered aircraft and other technologies that can cut CO2 emissions, and encouraging cooperative programs to increase aviation sustainability.

“We know what our industry needs to accomplish to reach our goal of net-zero emissions, and we have the tools available to do so,” said IBAC director general Kurt Edwards. “Now is the time to put in place the appropriate policies for this vision to become a reality.”