The International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s second World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) will focus on the actions needed to meet the aviation industry’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The event will take place on September 24 and 25, 2024 in Miami, USA, and will be hosted by American Airlines.
“Sustainability is an existential challenge for humanity, as it is for our aviation industry. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a huge and complex task. But if we work together with the entire aviation industry and leverage the support of governments, we will get there. WSS is a unique opportunity to bring all stakeholders together to learn, align and take the decisive actions needed to strengthen our resolve and accelerate progress,” said Willie Walsh, IATA Director General.
Key elements to help achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 addressed in the WSS include:
- Decarbonization: The focus is on aviation’s transition to net zero carbon emissions, including how to develop, scale and deploy the solutions needed to decarbonise aviation in the 25 years to 2050. It will discuss how to build markets for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), carbon removal and other new technologies, as well as the challenges associated with financing such projects.
- Innovation and technology: Exploring new aircraft technologies and operational innovations, with a focus on the practical aspects of rapidly implementing new technologies to advance the industry’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions.
- Policy and regulation: Examining the global policy landscape towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, particularly as it relates to SAF, and the complexity of adapting global regulations and harmonizing SAF policies to scale up production and deployment.
- Finance and transparency: Considering the investment challenges: What are the difficulties and opportunities in financing renewable energy and SAF production projects and how can the investment case be made more attractive for stakeholders? The focus is on strategies for raising capital, risk transfer and what innovations are needed to finance the industry’s transition to net zero. Transparency is also addressed as it is a key part of the investment challenge in promoting informed and science-based decisions among investors, airlines and other stakeholders.
“The aim of the WSS is to bring together decision makers from the public and private sectors and from all areas of government with the aim of decarbonising aviation,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.
“The aviation energy transition needs support beyond transport ministries as it touches almost every sector of the global, regional and local economy and society. It requires radical collaboration to harness technology, policy and finance and unite around the common goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The mission is urgent as a multitude of new markets must mature in the short 25 years to 2050. WSS is the landmark event that can accelerate progress as we tackle this enormous challenge.”
About WSS
The WSS is hosted by American Airlines and is expected to bring together over 500 experts from the aviation, sustainability, technology, agriculture, trade, development and finance sectors, as well as policy makers and other stakeholders.
This is the second time that IATA has organised the WSS, which has already become a flagship event for IATA.
The opening speeches will be given by:
- Robert Isom, CEO, American Airlines
- Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO
Following the opening remarks, the CEO panel will include:
- Robert Isom, CEO, American Airlines
- Annette Mann, CEO, Austrian Airlines
- Enrique Beltranena, CEO, Volaris
- Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA
Further information about the event and the programme can be found on the IATA website.
Photo credit: Miami International Airport
