The European Commission has announced €4 million in funding to support the development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Capacity-building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF) programme. The initiative aligns with the European Green Deal and aims to help partner countries accelerate decarbonisation in the aviation sector.
The funding will cover feasibility studies, increased SAF production and certification support. The project, jointly implemented by ICAO and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), initially involves 12 partner states: Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa. Additional countries may join later.
European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of the transition: “We estimate that the SAF market will create more than 200,000 additional jobs in the EU, and expect similar benefits for partner countries ramping up their production of sustainable aviation fuels. The EU will continue supporting its partners in their decarbonisation efforts. No country must be left behind as we take global aviation into a new era.”
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar underscored the global urgency: “This new project responds to the global consensus that we need to take concrete actions now to achieve truly sustainable international air connectivity. Access to cleaner energy sources will be a pre-requisite to achieve this long-term global goal, and all States have a part to play in realising that access through new production and distribution capabilities.”
The project, titled Capacity Building for Sustainable Aviation Fuels eligible under CORSIA and in support of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, is seen as a key step towards decarbonising aviation. Within the EU, the recently adopted ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation mandates a significant ramp-up in SAF use, reinforcing Europe’s role in driving cleaner skies worldwide.
