ICAO Stocktaking 2024: Global Aviation Gathers to Drive Decarbonisation Efforts
The global aviation sector, backed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The 2024 ICAO Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) Stocktaking event, held last week at ICAO’s headquarters in Montréal, saw nearly 400 participants unite to discuss decarbonisation strategies and showcase progress.
The four-day event, ICAO’s sixth Stocktaking session, brought together key stakeholders from governments, the aviation and energy sectors, research institutions, start-ups, financial bodies, and civil society organisations.
The aim was to exchange knowledge, review successful projects, and outline priorities for urgent action on decarbonisation.
Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, opened the event by underlining its importance: “We gather to address one of aviation’s most significant challenges: achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We are here to share progress, learn from each other, and chart our path forward.”
The discussions covered a broad range of critical topics including innovations in aircraft technologies, the integration of hydrogen in aviation, operational improvements, and the advancement of airport infrastructure.
Panels also delved into Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), examining policies, partnerships, certification, financing, and implementation.
The role of ICAO in coordinating harmonised global policies to support the energy transition was a recurring theme.
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar stressed the need to promote aviation’s commitment to sustainability: “We must increase our outreach, highlighting aviation as a responsible sector with concrete pathways towards net-zero. It’s essential that policymakers at all levels recognise and prioritise this work.”
A significant portion of the Stocktaking focused on ICAO’s Global Framework for SAF, Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF), and other clean energy sources.
Discussions tracked the progress of the ICAO Roadmap, with updates on tools designed to monitor the implementation of these initiatives, which are structured around four pillars: Policy and Planning, Regulatory Framework, Implementation Support, and Financing.
A new initiative, the ICAO Finvest Hub, was also unveiled. Designed to connect decarbonisation projects with potential investors, the Hub provides a comprehensive database of funding sources.
Salazar noted its strategic importance: “The ICAO Finvest Hub is our contribution to facilitating financing for the decarbonisation of the aviation sector.”
The Stocktaking event further emphasised ICAO’s role in supporting global aviation’s green transition through its Assistance, Capacity Building, and Training for SAF (ACT-SAF) programme.
Featuring over 200 partners, the ACT-SAF initiative is accelerating SAF production through training, feasibility studies, and ongoing business support.
ICAO is actively advocating for expanded partnerships through ACT-SAF to ensure an inclusive and equitable transition for the aviation industry globally.
The insights and outcomes of the 2024 Stocktaking event will inform discussions at the next ICAO Assembly in September 2025, where ICAO’s 193 Member States will gather to review progress and outline future actions.
As the aviation sector continues its journey towards net-zero emissions by 2050, platforms like ICAO’s LTAG Stocktaking will remain vital in fostering global collaboration and accelerating sustainable solutions.
