EUROPEAN CIVIL AVIATION CONFERENCE - CONFÉRENCE EUROPÉENNE DE L'AVIATION CIVILE

Sixth ECAC monthly familiarisation webinar on basic knowledge on aviation and the environment

8 December 2021 - Becoming familiar with sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) was the objective of the sixth monthly ECAC familiarisation webinar on basic knowledge on aviation and the environment. 47 participants from 23 States and 6 organisations including the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) participated in the webinar.

The ICAO EUR/NAT office recalled the relevance of SAF among the basket of measures to reduce aviation’s emissions, and provided an overview of ICAO's work to promote its use. The recent endorsement by the ICAO Council of a complete set of sustainability criteria for SAF is the first globally agreed sustainability approach for the use of renewable energy in an industry sector.

César Velarde, ECAC Climate Change and Capacity-Building Specialist, explained what SAF is and how it can be produced. Matteo Prussi, a specialist from the Polytechnic University of Turin who is highly involved in ICAO CAEP work in this field, addressed sustainability certification requirements applicable to SAF and how CO2 savings are calculated. The vice-rector for international affairs and biomass expert, David Chiaramonti, also from the Polytechnic University of Turin, outlined the SAF potential in Europe and the main biomass challenges for large-scale production.

The next webinar is scheduled on 2 February 2022.