The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced strengthened cooperation to improve transparency, data integrity, and global tracking of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), marking a significant step toward accelerating aviation’s transition to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
We will enhance collaboration to build robust systems and high-quality data to measure SAF deployment and its emissions reductions. The initiative is designed to support both organizations’ shared ambition of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050, in line with global climate goals.
Under the agreement, IATA and ICAO will explore how SAF registries and associated data systems can be aligned with ICAO’s Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) Monitoring and Reporting (LMR) framework. The work will also examine the role of fuel accounting systems in supporting consistent global tracking of international aviation emissions reductions.
A key objective of the collaboration is to strengthen confidence in SAF-related data, enabling more transparent reporting of cleaner energy usage across the aviation sector and ensuring that climate progress is accurately measured and verifiable.
Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, emphasized the importance of reliable data in scaling sustainable aviation fuels: “Credible tracking is necessary to know the emissions reductions delivered by SAF. The data collected by the CADO SAF Registry, among others, has the potential to meet this need. By working with ICAO to strengthen how progress on SAF use is measured and reported, we can accelerate deployment, build trust across stakeholders, and put aviation on track for net zero by 2050. This will set a great example for individual states to work with industry to make the most of the SAF data that is being accumulated.”
Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO, highlighted the importance of global coordination and transparency: “Achieving ICAO’s vision of net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050 will require unprecedented levels of transparency and cooperation across the entire sector. This agreement will support the strengthening of ICAO’s leadership as we support States and industry in their scaling up of sustainable aviation fuels and other aviation cleaner energies. By improving our global monitoring capabilities and visibility into SAF production, distribution and use, we can support the integrity of global fuel accounting systems and ensure that climate investments are recognized consistently and transparently under ICAO frameworks.”
The strengthened partnership between IATA and ICAO represents a key milestone in the aviation sector’s collective efforts to scale sustainable aviation fuels, improve emissions accountability, and reinforce global trust in climate progress reporting systems.
