Belem, Brazil – At COP30, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), together with the governments of Japan and Malaysia and a broad coalition of industry partners, issued a joint statement calling on all governments to accelerate coordinated efforts to achieve net‑zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.
The statement emphasizes that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) remains the sole global forum for regulating aviation emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. Fragmented or unilateral measures, the signatories warn, could undermine climate progress, restrict connectivity and divert resources from genuine emissions‑reduction projects.
Key messages of the joint statement:
- ICAO’s central role: ICAO provides the legal and technical framework for coordinated global action on aviation emissions.
- Strengthening CORSIA: In its first phase (2024‑2026), CORSIA is expected to generate US$4‑5 billion from airline credit purchases, supporting high‑quality climate projects, especially in developing economies. By 2027 the scheme should cover at least 85 % of international aviation emissions and generate over US$120 billion in climate finance through 2035.
- Accelerating Article 6 implementation: The signatories call for swift operationalisation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to unlock CORSIA‑eligible emissions units and climate finance for low‑carbon development.
- Taxes and levies are not climate solutions: New taxes, such as those proposed by the Global Solidarity Levy Task Force, are viewed as revenue‑generating tools that do not reduce emissions and risk harming connectivity and economic opportunities, particularly for developing nations and small‑island states.
The joint statement lists the following signatories: the governments of Japan and Malaysia; Airlines for Europe (A4E); Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO); Airports Council International (ACI); Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA); Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE); Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA); Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA); Air Transport Action Group (ATAG); European Regions Airline Association (ERA); International Air Transport Association (IATA); International Business Aviation Council (IBAC); International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA); National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC); and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
Source: wttc.org
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