The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have announced a formal partnership to improve transparency and data integrity in tracking the deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). The announcement was made during ICAO Aviation Climate Week.
The collaboration between the aviation industry body and the United Nations civil aviation agency aims to establish robust tracking systems. These frameworks are designed to verify the environmental contributions of alternative fuels as the sector works towards its target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Under the new agreement, both organisations will evaluate how SAF registries can support the implementation of the ICAO Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) Monitoring and Reporting (LMR) methodology. The initiative will also examine the integration of global fuel accounting systems for international commercial aviation.
The joint initiative focuses on standardising data collection to eliminate double-counting and verify actual emissions reductions across complex cross-border supply chains.
Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, emphasised the importance of data verification: “Credible tracking is necessary to know the emissions reductions delivered by SAF. The data collected by the CADO SAF Registry, among others, has the potential to meet this need. By working with ICAO to strengthen how progress on SAF use is measured and reported, we can accelerate deployment, build trust across stakeholders, and put aviation on track for net zero by 2050.”
Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO, highlighted the regulatory benefits of the partnership: “Achieving ICAO’s vision of net‑zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050 will require unprecedented levels of transparency and cooperation across the entire sector. By improving our global monitoring capabilities and visibility into SAF production, distribution, and use, we can support the integrity of global fuel accounting systems and ensure that climate investments are recognised consistently and transparently under ICAO frameworks.”
The two bodies confirmed that technical working groups will begin assessing the interoperability of existing registries over the coming months to streamline reporting requirements for individual states and airline operators.
