The International Air Transport Association will spearhead a global drive for greener aviation at its two-day World Sustainability Symposium in Hong Kong, scheduled for October 21–22, 2025, with a net-zero target set for 2050.

The announcement, issued Tuesday by Marie Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist, positions the event between the recently concluded 42nd ICAO Assembly and the upcoming COP30 climate summit.

The symposium aims to translate commitments into practical measures to cut carbon emissions across the aviation sector.

Thomsen said the symposium will convene “thinkers, doers, and regulators” to chart practical pathways for the industry to achieve its 2050 net-zero emissions goal.

“The WSS is a forum for new ideas and fresh collaboration. Aviation is just one part of the broader global energy transition. If we want to succeed, we need radical collaboration across governments, industries, and institutions,” Thomsen said.

She noted that a key focus of the WSS will be the role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in cutting sector emissions, describing it as “the fuel that will do the heavy lifting” in reaching net-zero targets.

The statement highlighted that several Asia-Pacific countries, including India, Malaysia, and Vietnam, are well placed to ramp up SAF production.

China is also taking a leading role, targeting carbon neutrality by 2060 with emissions peaking before 2030. Thomsen noted the country’s “proven track record in strategic planning and delivery,” adding that its SAF pilot programme has been extended with more than three million tonnes of capacity under development.

Thomsen said, “China has a proven track record in strategic planning and delivery. Its SAF pilot programme has been extended, and over three million tonnes of production capacity are in development.”

She cautioned, however, that scaling up SAF and other green technologies will demand major investment.

To back the industry’s decarbonisation push, IATA has rolled out tools such as the SAF Matchmaker, a global SAF Registry, and the Aviation Carbon Exchange, which allows airlines to purchase carbon credits.