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Cathay Pacific to host the first IATA World Sustainability Symposium to be held in Asia
August 15th 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will hold the third World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong on October 21-22. Read More » Hosted by Cathay Pacific, WSS will bring together leaders from aviation, energy, finance and policy to advance the industry’s commitment to net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. "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," Cathay Group CEO, Ronald Lam, said. "WSS is where airlines and all stakeholders get together to develop the understanding and the policies necessary to achieve the financial and environmental sustainability of airlines. It is a platform for radical collaboration, involving all disciplines and sectors, and where efforts can be coordinated to bring practical solutions to the market. Decarbonizing the airline industry is not just an industry issue but part of the global energy transition that cuts across the whole world economy. If treated as such, adopting a holistic approach encompassing policy, energy and finance to agriculture, technology and more, it will be possible to achieve net-zero CO₂ emissions in 2050," IATA senior vice president sustainability and chief economist, Marie Owens-Thomsen, said. WSS is strategically timed to follow the 42nd International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly where the industry will advocate for stronger government policies to support aviation’s energy transition to SAF. It also precedes COP30, which is focused on turning pledges into actions. "We are at a crucial point. Airlines are fully committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 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," IATA director general, Willie Walsh, said.
