IATA WARNS EU’S SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL TARGETS “NOT ACHIEVABLE”
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Agency Report
The head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has cast doubt on the European Union’s ambitious targets to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by airlines, calling them “not achievable.”
Speaking at an industry event in Paris on Thursday, IATA chief Willie Walsh said progress in SAF production is falling short of expectations. “We’re not seeing progress in terms of the production of SAF,” Walsh noted. “I always felt that the EU’s ambition was not achievable. I still hold that view.”
The EU’s 2023 rules require airlines to include two per cent SAF in their fuel mix starting this year, rising to six per cent in 2030 and 20 per cent by 2035, before eventually reaching 70 per cent by 2050. Currently, SAF accounts for roughly two per cent of fuel use in the region.
Walsh highlighted that SAF’s limited availability and high cost are hindering airline competitiveness, even as global passenger traffic is projected to grow sharply over the next decade.
IATA recently estimated that global SAF production would reach 1.9 million tonnes in 2025—nearly double the previous year—but expects growth to slow to 2.4 million tonnes this year, representing just 0.8 per cent of total aviation fuel consumption.
Despite his reservations about SAF, Walsh reaffirmed airlines’ commitment to environmental goals, pledging to cut aviation emissions in half by 2050 compared with 2005 levels.
Earlier, a European Commission spokesman defended the SAF targets, saying in March 2025 that they are “realistic and feasible,” and denying any plans for review.
Airline executives continue to urge policy support and investment in SAF production to meet the EU’s climate objectives and achieve long-term emission reductions.
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