Comment
Groundswell for SAF across region
October 1st 2025
Several aviation key stakeholders have been divided, often pessimistically; about the ability of the industry to meet its 20250 net zero carbon emissions target. Read More » Sceptics suggest the slow pace of investment in the production of one key element necessary for achieving the 2050 target, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is holding back a nascent industry that cannot meet demand from airlines for SAF.
Developing nations have not helped. They have been very vocal in expressing fears their countries will be left behind when only minimal SAF is available at costs that their economies cannot afford.
Therefore it is encouraging that evidence is emerging that achieving net zero within the time frame to 2050 may not impossible emissions after all.
Significantly, the first of these encouraging developments was the unanimous decision by a record-breaking 192 Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to adopt a resolution supporting reducing carbon emissions to net-zero and ensure no country is left behind as air services grow in emerging economies.
The resolution accelerated aviation’s transition to a more sustainable and decarbonized future by achieving broader global cooperation, strengthening the international framework and laying the groundwork for increased investment.
Achieving unanimous agreement among so many nations at the U.N. is almost unheard of. ICAO general secretary, Juan Carlos Salazar, told delegates at the early October gathering “Aviation’s transition to a safe, secure and sustainable aviation system is achievable. The decisions you have taken here will guide aviation for decades with a positive impact that will benefit all nations and people”.
The second significant development is a new International Air Transport Association (IATA) study that said there are sufficient sustainable feedstocks and SAF production technologies to decarbonize aviation and enable the airline industry to meet its net zero carbon emissions goal.
Also it appears interest in the global SAF project pipeline is extremely strong. One report estimates that in the last 10 years nearly 190 companies have announced they will produce sustainable aviation fuel across 330 locations worldwide. In another sign of progress, major oil and gas companies, long accused of failing to come to the party where SAF production is concerned, are increasing investment in the biofuels sector with 43 projects planned to be running by 2030.
But there is still a long way to go. Only eight billion litres of SAF will be produced in full-year 2025. By 2035, SAF volume output needs to be 90 billion litres and reach 449 billion litres a decade later.
TOM BALLANTYNE
Associate editor and chief correspondent
Orient Aviation Media Group
