KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (NNN-Bernama) — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for governments to adopt a Long-Term Aspirational Goal to decarbonise aviation at the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) later this year.
The call was made during the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit taking place in Doha, Qatar, from June 19-21, 2022.
IATA director general Willie Walsh said the decarbonisation of the global economy would require investment across countries and across decades, particularly in the transition away from fossil fuels.
“Stability of policy matters and as we move from commitment to action, it is critical that the industry is supported by governments with policies that are focused on the same decarbonisation goal,” he said in a statement today.
Walsh further said that achieving net zero emissions will be a huge challenge.
“The projected scale of the industry in 2050 will require the mitigation of 1.8 gigatons of carbon. Achieving that will require investments across the value chain running into the trillions of dollars.
“Investment of that magnitude must be supported by globally consistent government policies that help deliver the decarbonisation ambition, take into account differing levels of development, and do not distort competition,” he elaborated.
Walsh said airlines are mapping out the pathway to the industry’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.
Data from a recent IATA survey shows that improving the environmental impact of airlines is seen as a post-pandemic priority for passengers.
“About 73 per cent of people polled want the aviation industry to focus on reducing its climate impact as it emerges from the COVID-19 crisis,” he added.
Two-thirds of people polled also believe that taxing the industry will not achieve net zero faster and expressed concern about the money raised not being earmarked for decarbonisation projects.
Meanwhile, during the AGM, IATA announced that Pegasus Airlines vice-chairperson of the board (managing director) Mehmet Tevfik Nane has assumed his duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors for a one-year term, effective from the conclusion of the 78th IATA AGM in Doha, Qatar on June 21.
— NNN-BERNAMA
