Today's Edition
RASHA TUBEILEH (ABU DHABI)
The UAE has taken significant steps to enhance its readiness in addressing sustainability within the aviation sector. The country has made continuous efforts for over a decade to implement measures and initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of aviation, supporting global efforts to achieve international goals for climate neutrality, and transforming the nation into a regional hub for sustainable aviation fuel.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) highlighted the key steps taken by the UAE in this field. In 2012, the general environmental policy for the civil aviation sector was launched, which included measures to reduce the impact of civil aviation emissions on climate change, implement environmental laws and legislation, and encourage strategic partners to regularly report on their environmental performance. These practices have fostered a culture of environmental consideration within the UAE aviation sector. That same year, the UAE presented its emissions reduction plan, followed by a detailed plan in 2018, which was recognised as one of the best in the world.
In 2016, the UAE obtained membership in the Committee on Environmental Protection in the Aviation Sector (CAEP) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In 2019, the UAE committed to the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from national carriers’ aircraft.
Hydrogen
In 2021, the UAE Aviation Fuel Committee was established, and the National Strategy for Climate Neutrality 2050 was launched, which allocated investments of over Dh600 billion in clean and renewable energy until 2050. This was accompanied by the announcement of a roadmap for achieving leadership in hydrogen, a comprehensive national plan aimed at supporting local low-carbon industries. In 2022, the aviation sector committed to achieving net zero climate neutrality by 2050. In 2023, the country announced the National Roadmap for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, with ambitions to produce 700 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
Parallel to the country’s efforts, the GCAA pointed to positive actions by the private sector and national carriers. Notably, Emirates Airlines established the Aviation Sustainability Fund, valued at $200 million, to finance research and development projects focused on reducing the impact of fossil fuels on commercial aviation. Initiatives led by ADNOC and Masdar regarding hydrogen fuel, and the existing cooperation between Masdar and Airbus to support the global sustainable aviation fuel market, are also significant contributions.
Etihad Airways won the “Environmental Airline of the Year 2024” award for the third consecutive year from the AirlineRatings Awards. Etihad’s sustainability strategy focuses on reducing emissions through preventive and direct measures in the aviation sector, in accordance with the plans and frameworks of partners and relevant institutions in the UAE.
Alternative Fuel
Highlighting the UAE’s pivotal role in this area, the country hosted the third edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Aviation and Alternative Fuels Conference (CAAF3) in November 2023. This conference is the largest international gathering of aviation industry leaders, manufacturers, investors, and experts in low-carbon and sustainable aviation fuels. The UAE’s hosting of this event was a great success, resulting in a historic consensus among ICAO member states on a global framework for clean aviation fuels and setting an ambitious goal to reduce carbon emissions from the aviation sector by 5% by 2030.
On the sidelines of the international conference, the UAE launched the “Air-CRAFT” alliance, the first and largest research alliance in the UAE focused on developing, producing, and expanding sustainable aviation fuel technologies. This alliance includes eight leading institutions and companies: Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Masdar, ADNOC, ENOC Group, Khalifa University, Boeing, and Honeywell, under the support and patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the GCAA.
