The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has expressed concerns over the European Union’s targets for increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the airline industry. According to IATA chief Willie Walsh, the EU’s ambition to have SAF constitute 20% of airlines’ fuel use by 2035 is “not achievable.” The current target is to have SAF make up 2% of fuel use, rising to 6% by 2030 and 20% by 2035, before increasing to 70% by 2050.
The EU rules, set in 2023, aim to reduce fossil fuel emissions in the aviation sector. However, airline executives argue that SAF is not widely available and is too expensive, which could hinder competitiveness as passenger traffic is expected to surge worldwide in the coming decade. Despite these challenges, airlines are committed to cutting their pollution emission levels in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.
The production of SAF is currently not meeting the required levels, with global production expected to reach 1.9 million tonnes in 2025, nearly double the amount produced the previous year. However, production growth is expected to slow this year, reaching 2.4 million tonnes, which would represent just 0.8% of a fuel mix still dominated by traditional jet fuel.
The European Commission has denied that the targets would be up for review, stating that they consider the current SAF targets to be “realistic and feasible.” However, Walsh reiterated his group’s criticism of EU climate targets for airlines, saying that “we’re way behind where we believe we need it to be.” The IATA has been critical of the EU’s targets in recent months, citing the lack of progress in SAF production and the high costs associated with its use.
The aviation industry is facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, with the EU’s targets being a key part of this effort. While the IATA has expressed doubts about the achievability of the targets, airlines remain committed to reducing their emissions and are exploring alternative fuels and technologies to achieve this goal. The industry will be closely watching the development of SAF production and the implementation of the EU’s targets in the coming years.
