BUSINESS AVIATION PRIORITIZES SUSTAINABILITY
Business aviation takes its responsibilities within the environment and sustainability very seriously and IBAC supports its members and operators in improving efficiency to mitigate our industry’s impact on the environment, and its contribution to sustainability.
To support these efforts, the business aviation community, through both IBAC and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) first published the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change (BACCC) in November 2009 and updated it again in 2016 and again in 2023. This commitment details the goals and mechanisms that business aviation will employ towards reducing its overall impact on the environment through its activities.
The goals are:
Improving fuel efficiency 2% per year from 2010 until 2020
Achieving carbon-neutral growth from 2020
Halving total CO2 emissions by 2050 relative to 2005 (NEW: Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050)
Pathways:
Investment in new aircraft technology that includes Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Flying using more efficient operations
Building and using an efficient infrastructure
The use of effective global market-based measures
These commitments are current today and remain the foundation for everything that business aviation does towards reducing its overall environmental impact, and wider sustainability contribution.
As part of these obligations, IBAC plays an active role in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiative that was developed by the Coalition of international business aviation organizations comprised of CAAFI, CBAA, EBAA, GAMA, NATA, NBAA, VAI, IBAC and numerous steering committee members. SAF flight demonstrations around the world prove the viability of Jet A-1 drop-in alternative fuels with aircraft manufacturers, fuel companies, and operators participating and encourage further use of SAF.
IBAC represents business aviation at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in environmental matters through the Committee on Aviation and Environmental Protection (CAEP) through technical expertise and information to ensure that business aviation is appropriately included when Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) are developed for civil aviation.
IBAC has also participated in the development of the CO2 Standard, applicable to business aviation aircraft from 2023, the latest noise Standard – Chapter 14, and the Carbon Offsetting Scheme and Reduction for International Aviation (CORSIA).