IATA, governments push for stronger global coordination on aviation climate action at COP30

November 19, 2025 in Companies, Energy, Trade & Industry, Travel & Tourism by Editor

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), joined by the governments of Japan, Malaysia and a broad coalition of global aviation bodies, has called for renewed international cooperation to keep the industry on course toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Issued on the sidelines of COP30 in Belem, the joint statement urges governments to reaffirm the central role of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in regulating international aviation emissions. The signatories argue that only ICAO can provide the global framework needed to manage emissions effectively across a cross-border sector.

IATA Director General Willie Walsh said governments must stay focused on unified implementation rather than piecemeal national measures.

“To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, governments must reaffirm ICAO’s role as the single global authority, fully implement CORSIA, and operationalize Article 6 to unlock climate finance for developing nations,” Walsh said. “Fragmented taxes and levies will not cut emissions—they risk diverting funds from real reduction projects and weakening connectivity.”

A major focus of the statement is the need to reinforce the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which all 193 ICAO member states have approved.

Airlines are expected to buy more than 200 million carbon credits during CORSIA’s first phase (2024–26), generating an estimated USD 4–5 billion in climate finance. That demand is projected to rise sharply, with nearly 2 billion credits expected to be offset through 2035. Much of that investment is intended for high-quality, independently verified emission-reduction projects in developing countries.

Article 6 Seen as Crucial to Climate Finance

The statement urges countries to operationalize Article 6 of the Paris Agreement by issuing Letters of Authorization and enabling the release of CORSIA-Eligible Emissions Units. These steps are seen as essential to unlocking large-scale climate finance and accelerating sustainable development initiatives tied to aviation.

Warning Against Taxes and Levies

The coalition cautions that proposed ticket taxes and unilateral climate charges may undermine decarbonization efforts. According to the signatories, such measures risk reducing airlines’ ability to invest in cleaner technologies while disproportionately affecting developing economies and small island states that rely heavily on air links.

The statement carries the backing of a wide spectrum of regional and international aviation associations, including Airlines for Europe, Airports Council International, the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa, the Air Transport Action Group, the World Travel & Tourism Council and others.

With global air travel continuing to rebound and aviation’s climate commitments under intense scrutiny, the call for coordinated action underscores a growing urgency: the industry’s most ambitious climate targets can only be met through unified, globally aligned policies.