The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Cathay Pacific, will host the third World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong SAR, China, from October 21–22, 2025. The event will bring together key leaders from aviation, energy, finance, and policy to accelerate the aviation industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
This year’s symposium, the first to be held in Asia, is a crucial platform for collaborative action. With the aviation industry’s dedication to sustainability, this gathering aims to address the challenges and opportunities in the transition to a greener future. The event will focus on actionable strategies and cross-sectoral collaboration needed to decarbonize air transport.
“We are honored that Hong Kong has been selected as the location and Cathay Pacific as the host airline for the first IATA World Sustainability Symposium in Asia,” said Ronald Lam, Cathay Group’s CEO. “Gatherings like this provide a valuable platform for leading voices to drive meaningful change. This is especially important as we work to develop the ecosystem for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Hong Kong having the potential to become one of Asia’s major centers for SAF in the future.”
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Airlines are fully committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, we need more action from policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, and fuel producers to support this commitment. This event is a critical rallying call for all stakeholders to overcome challenges and accelerate the pace of this essential energy transition.”
The symposium is strategically timed to build on discussions from the 42nd ICAO Assembly and to inform the lead-up to COP30. It will feature in-depth discussions on:
Removing hurdles to expanding Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.
Attracting the necessary financing for the $4.7 trillion cost of decarbonization.
Integrating emerging technology developments from new and existing players.
Increasing collaboration across the value chain.
The event will feature a leadership conversation between Patrick Healy, Chair of the Cathay Group, and Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Other notable speakers include:
Dr. Jun Ma, Chairman & President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association
Dr. Fabiano Piccino, Air Logistics Global Head of Sustainability, Kuehne+Nagel
Jouk Boeye, Managing Director, HSBC
Christopher Au, Director Asia Pacific Climate Risk Centre, WTW
Ayesha Choudhury, Chief Commercial Officer, Infinium
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist, highlighted the event’s importance, stating, “Decarbonizing the airline industry is not just an industry issue but part of a global energy transition. WSS is a platform for radical collaboration where efforts can be coordinated to bring practical solutions to the market. By adopting a holistic approach encompassing policy, energy, and finance, it will be possible to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions in 2050.”
The World Sustainability Symposium is IATA’s premier event on aviation sustainability, convening over 500 participants from airlines, fuel producers, investors, policymakers, and innovators worldwide will host the third World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong SAR, China, from October 21–22, 2025. The event will bring together key leaders from aviation, energy, finance, and policy to accelerate the aviation industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
This year’s symposium, the first to be held in Asia, is a crucial platform for collaborative action. With the aviation industry’s dedication to sustainability, this gathering aims to address the challenges and opportunities in the transition to a greener future. The event will focus on actionable strategies and cross-sectoral collaboration needed to decarbonize air transport.
“We are honored that Hong Kong has been selected as the location and Cathay Pacific as the host airline for the first IATA World Sustainability Symposium in Asia,” said Ronald Lam, Cathay Group’s CEO. “Gatherings like this provide a valuable platform for leading voices to drive meaningful change. This is especially important as we work to develop the ecosystem for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Hong Kong having the potential to become one of Asia’s major centers for SAF in the future.”
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Airlines are fully committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, we need more action from policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, and fuel producers to support this commitment. This event is a critical rallying call for all stakeholders to overcome challenges and accelerate the pace of this essential energy transition.”
The symposium is strategically timed to build on discussions from the 42nd ICAO Assembly and to inform the lead-up to COP30. It will feature in-depth discussions on:
Removing hurdles to expanding Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.
Attracting the necessary financing for the $4.7 trillion cost of decarbonization.
Integrating emerging technology developments from new and existing players.
Increasing collaboration across the value chain.
The event will feature a leadership conversation between Patrick Healy, Chair of the Cathay Group, and Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Other notable speakers include:
Dr. Jun Ma, Chairman & President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association
Dr. Fabiano Piccino, Air Logistics Global Head of Sustainability, Kuehne+Nagel
Jouk Boeye, Managing Director, HSBC
Christopher Au, Director Asia Pacific Climate Risk Centre, WTW
Ayesha Choudhury, Chief Commercial Officer, Infinium
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist, highlighted the event’s importance, stating, “Decarbonizing the airline industry is not just an industry issue but part of a global energy transition. WSS is a platform for radical collaboration where efforts can be coordinated to bring practical solutions to the market. By adopting a holistic approach encompassing policy, energy, and finance, it will be possible to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions in 2050.”
The World Sustainability Symposium is IATA’s premier event on aviation sustainability, convening over 500 participants from airlines, fuel producers, investors, policymakers, and innovators worldwide.
