IATA has called on South Africa to mobilise its experience, resources, and infrastructure to accelerate the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.
The call came as industry and government delegates gathered for IATAs Wings of Change Focus Africa conference in Johannesburg this week.
South Africa has vast potential to become a leading SAF producer in the region. And there is a waiting market for SAF as airlines work to achieve nett-zero carbon emissions by 2050. More than a strategy in support of aviations decarbonisation, it is a strategy for economic development and should be a top priority for the new South African government, said Dr Marie Owens Thomsen , IATA Senior VP for Sustainability and Chief Economist.
South Africa chaired the 2022 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly where governments agreed to a long-term goal aligned with the aviation industrys commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The role of SAF in achieving this goal was emphasised by the ICAO CAAF/3 objective of a 5% average global reduction in aviations carbon emissions by 2030.
