IATA and industry partners call for climate action at COP30
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), together with the governments of Japan, Malaysia and industry stakeholders, have issued a joint statement at COP30, urging governments and the international community to reaffirm the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and accelerate coordinated climate action for aviation to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Specifically, the signatories highlight the need for global solutions, emphasising that ICAO remains the exclusive forum for addressing international aviation emissions. The signatories caution against fragmented or unilateral measures, stressing that only a unified approach can deliver effective climate results for the sector. The signatories also stress the role of robust global carbon markets in scaling up climate finance opportunities, which is high on the COP agenda and central to the Baku to Belem Roadmap.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said: “Aviation is a catalyst for global connectivity and economic development. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, governments must reaffirm ICAO’s role as the single global authority, fully implement CORSIA and operationalise Article 6 to unlock climate finance for developing nations.
"Fragmented taxes and levies will not cut emissions, they risk diverting funds from actual emission-reduction investments, which is a critical climate consideration and will only weaken connectivity and harm those who depend on it most.”
Key points from the joint statement
ICAO’s central role: The statement reaffirms ICAO’s authority, established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, as the sole body for regulating international aviation emissions. The signatories urge all States to uphold ICAO’s leadership and avoid duplicating mechanisms across international processes.
Strengthening CORSIA: The signatories call on all governments to strengthen the implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), approved by all 193 ICAO Member States, which is a cornerstone for achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In CORSIA’s First Phase (2024-26), airlines are expected to purchase upwards of 200 million credits, generating USD 4–5 billion. This will increase steeply in the following years, given that the scheme is expected to offset nearly 2 billion credits through 2035. This climate finance will directly support high-quality, independently verified emission-reduction projects – particularly in developing countries – significantly advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement and promoting sustainable development, technology transfer, and job creation.
Urgent implementation of Article 6: The statement calls on all host countries to operationalize Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, issue Letters of Authorization (LoAs), and enable the release of CORSIA-Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs). These steps are essential to mobilize international climate finance and support sustainable development.
Taxes and levies are not climate solutions: The signatories caution that taxes and levies, notably ticket taxes such as those proposed by emerging coalitions, are not effective climate instruments and risk negatively impacting investment capacity into real emission-reduction projects. Such measures can impair connectivity and harm developing economies and Small Island States disproportionately.
The signatories of the joint statement are:
Government of Japan
Government of Malaysia
Airlines for Europe (A4E)
Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO)
Airports Council International (ACI)
Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE)
Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA)
Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA)
Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA)
Air Transport Action Group (ATAG)
European Regions Airline Association (ERA)
International Business Aviation Council (IBAC)
International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA)
In trials at its plant in Teesside, Nova Pangaea Technologies has shown that its processing of waste biomass and residues into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can be done at a commercial scale.
London Gatwick says it can shift its Northern Runway project from planning into detailed design and delivery after the conclusion of an eight-year legal and planning process.
UK air travel could grow 68% by 2050, but the capacity crunch will not be evenly spread. New DfT data reveals which airports will fill terminals and runways.
As part of a company-wide intake of 121 apprentices this year, Navantia UK has hired 21 new apprentices at its Methil facility, helping develop a pipeline of talent into shipbuilding in Scotland.
A £71 million National Wealth Fund investment will help restart the Hemerdon mine in Devon, securing a UK source of tungsten for defence, aerospace and energy applications.
Backed by an investment of £6 million, seven early-career physicists have been awarded Ernest Rutherford Fellowship’s by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), supporting research, from the search for dark matter to the physics of black holes.
Austrian spacecraft propulsion manufacturer ENPULSION has agreed to acquire British specialist Lift Me Off, bringing together electric and chemical propulsion capabilities in a deal that will require UK Government approval.
A £202 million guarantee from the UK National Wealth Fund has attracted an investment of £300 million in Lanarkshire's AI Growth Zone, which with Dell Technologies establishing a base there too, is set to support over 3,400 skilled jobs.
Despite the deadline being years away, companies in the aerospace and defence sectors are being encouraged to start their planning now to ensure compliance later
As the New Zealand Government looks to add much needed capacity to its prison system, it has selected Serco to provide facilities management and maintenance services to support a safe and resilient prison infrastructure at Christchurch Men’s Prison.
