The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will hold its third World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong SAR, China, on October 21-22, 2025. Hosted by Cathay Pacific, the event will bring together key players from aviation, energy, finance, and policy to accelerate the industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
This marks the first time the WSS will be held in Asia, a significant step that highlights the region’s growing importance in the global sustainability effort.
“As the IATA World Sustainability Symposium lands in Asia for the first time, we are honored that Hong Kong has been selected as the location and Cathay Pacific as the host airline,” said Ronald Lam, Cathay Group’s CEO. “Collaboration across multiple sectors and regulators is essential for aviation to achieve its decarbonization goals, and gatherings like this provide a valuable platform for leading voices to come together to drive meaningful change. Such cooperation is especially important as the industry works to develop the ecosystem of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Hong Kong having the potential to become one of Asia’s major centers for SAF in the future.”
The symposium will serve as a crucial platform to rally industry stakeholders to overcome challenges hindering the energy transition.
“Airlines are fully committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” stated Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “But we have not seen sufficient, timely action by policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, or fuel producers to support this commitment. This event is an essential rallying call for all those who have a stake in air transport’s future to overcome any challenges in the way of accelerating the pace of this crucial energy transition.”
A Crucial Bridge Between Global Milestones
The WSS is strategically timed to follow the 42nd ICAO Assembly, where the industry will have advocated for stronger government policies to support the transition to SAF, and to precede COP30, which will focus on turning climate pledges into action.
The symposium will feature in-depth discussions on pragmatic measures to accelerate aviation decarbonization, including:
- Removing hurdles to expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.
- Attracting the necessary financing for the estimated $4.7 trillion cost of decarbonization.
- Integrating new technologies from both established players and startups.
- Increasing collaboration across the entire aviation value chain.
Esteemed Speakers and Sessions
The event will kick off with a welcome speech from Ronald Lam, Cathay Group CEO, and a keynote address by Mable Chan, Secretary of Transport & Logistics for the Hong Kong SAR Government. A highlight will be a leadership conversation between Patrick Healy, Chair of the Cathay Group, and Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, who will candidly review decarbonization progress.
The speaker lineup for the remainder of the symposium includes a host of global experts, such as:
- Jun Ma, Chairman & President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association
- Fabiano Piccino, Air Logistics Global Head of Sustainability, Kuehne+Nagel
- Jouk Boeye, Managing Director Corporate Sourcing, Supply Chain Sustainability & Net Zero Operations, HSBC
- Christopher Au, Director Asia Pacific Climate Risk Centre, WTW
- Ayesha Choudhury, Chief Commercial Officer, Infinium
