The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast that global production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will double in 2025, reaching 2 million tonnes. Despite this increase, SAF will still account for just 0.7% of the aviation sector’s total fuel consumption, highlighting the slow pace of progress toward industry climate goals.
IATA, the leading global trade body for airlines, has repeatedly raised concerns over the sluggish expansion of SAF production, which remains significantly more costly than traditional jet fuel. Director General Willie Walsh acknowledged the production uptick as a positive step, but warned it would add an estimated $4.4 billion to the industry’s annual fuel costs.
“The pace of progress in ramping up production and gaining efficiencies to reduce costs must accelerate,” Walsh said in a statement released Sunday.
The aviation industry committed in 2021 to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with SAF positioned as a cornerstone of that transition. Derived from sources such as waste oils and biomass, SAF is seen as a critical component in reducing the sector’s environmental footprint.
However, airlines are grappling with limited SAF supply and rising costs, while also facing delays in receiving more fuel-efficient aircraft from manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing. Tensions have also emerged with energy companies over the slow scale-up of SAF production.
As global demand for cleaner aviation grows, industry leaders are urging faster collaboration and investment across the value chain to bridge the gap between sustainability commitments and real-world progress.
