Ahead of Paris Air Show next week (19-25 June), the chief technology officers (CTOs) from seven of the world’s leading aviation manufacturers have released a statement “to support the industry’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions for civil aviation by 2050 and to highlight the importance of the production, distribution, and availability of qualified Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) needed to achieve this goal.”
The statement comes from Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and Safran, and outlines the companies’ companies steadfast approach to “delivering the technical solutions required to reduce the carbon emissions of the air transportation sector” through their work in three key areas:
- Developing advanced aircraft and propulsion technologies that enable net-zero carbon emissions while maintaining the safety and quality standards of our industry
- Implementing improvements in aircraft operations and infrastructure
- Supporting policies and measures that accelerate the availability and adoption of qualified SAF
Industry support
The statement also outlined the CTOs’ approval of the political agreement found on ReFuelEU Aviation which “will provide a strong signal for the deployment of SAF in air transport, and look forward to the legislation being adopted as soon as possible”, as well as the importance of Public-Private Partnerships in increasing the development and use of SAF.
“Policymakers have the chance to accelerate these processes by providing sustained and predictable support to the multi-year development of novel technologies, and by stimulating the ramp-up of capacity,” the statement read. “Recognizing the technical challenges associated with decarbonizing aviation, greater public policy and financial support to accelerate SAF production and distribution over fuels used for surface transportation is essential.”
The CTOs’ statement concluded, “We are unified in the proposition that our industry has a prosperous and more sustainable future, and that we can make it happen through the near-term implementation of lasting industry-wide and globalized harmonized policies.”
Read the statement in full here.
