Although global sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production is expected to increase by more than 26% in 2026 compared to the previous year, it will comprise just 0.8% of jet fuel use, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) projections.
Announcing its latest estimates on 6 June, IATA said the level of growth was “still disappointing”.
Global SAF production was expected to total approximately 2.4M tonnes this year at a cost to airlines of US$4.3bn.
“The path to meeting 65% of our needs in 2050 is growing more difficult with each year of ineffectively sequenced government policies and oil companies’ manifest lack of interest. The current energy shock should add even more urgency to the development of renewables, including SAF,” said Willie Walsh, IATA director general.
“But we have yet to see either the energy shock, the need to develop energy independence and jobs, or the urgency to mitigate climate change materialise in the incentives needed to create a viable SAF market.”
While SAF production volumes remained low, a passenger survey completed by IATA in April showed strong and consistent support for decarbonising air transport.
According to the organisation, 89% of passengers believed the aviation industry should continue reducing emissions even if governments scaled back their efforts. In addition, 66% of passengers said they were willing to pay more to compensate for emissions, and almost 88% said they expected ticket prices to rise due to sustainable investments.
The survey also indicated that 25% of passengers prioritised the use of funds for SAF, with 23% believing investment should focus on emissions-reduction technologies. Only 10% favoured the use of taxes to reduce emissions.
To accelerate SAF scale-up, IATA has called for coordinated global action across four priorities: the expansion of renewable energy supply; open access to fuel infrastructure including pipelines, storage, and airport fuel systems; strengthened policy support; and a global SAF market with sufficient volumes at commercially viable prices.
IATA represents over 370 airlines accounting for around 85% of global air traffic.
