Business Aviation Coalition Promotes Initiative To Make Flights To, From World Economic Forum More Sustainable

A global coalition focused on business aviation sustainability announced that the industry, aligned with the work of the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow initiative, is offering a market-based solution to help reduce carbon emissions for flights to and from the Forum’s Annual meeting in Davos, which begins on Jan. 16.

Basel, Switzerland-based Jet Aviation AG is encouraging those utilizing business aviation to participate in the Davos forum to use Book-and-Claim, a transaction that enables the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), even if SAF is not available from their departing airport. 

Book-and-Claim, which has been used for many years in the energy sector, reduces carbon emissions and increases demand for SAF, incentivizing more production. SAF can reduce aviation lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over legacy fuels. 

“Each year participants traveling to Davos are encouraged to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel to inset their transportation,” said the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow’s Policy Lead, Adrienne Gibbs. “Purchasing SAF provides travelers with a way to directly invest in eliminating aviation lifecycle emissions. Clean Skies for Tomorrow is excited about the progress made on SAF in recent years, and about the purchase options that exist for both business aviation customers and those traveling on commercial airlines. Our hope is that in the future, flying on SAF becomes the norm.”  

“We are committed to providing sustainable choices for our customers,” said Jet Aviation President, David Paddock. “We also recognize that achieving a more sustainable future is not just about the services we provide, but how we provide them and how we do business in the communities in which we operate. Book & Claim allows anyone traveling to and from Davos to support sustainability and grow the market for sustainable aviation fuels.” 

The Book-and-Claim buyer does not consume the sustainable fuel; instead, the SAF will be inserted by Jet Aviation into the supply chain in an independent transaction while the buyer, or operator, gets a credit for their SAF purchase and the emissions reduction. This initiative is just one of business aviation’s comprehensive set of actions to decarbonize the sector and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition to SAF, the industry is cutting emissions by increasing efficiency on the ground and in the air, developing new propulsion systems and zero-emissions advanced air mobility, and using other initiatives that invest in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Business aviation is deeply committed to climate action, and we are proud that we have reduced our carbon emissions 40% over the past 40 years,” said International Business Aviation Council Director General and SAF Coalition Steering Committee Co-Chair Kurt Edwards. “Our member companies have been at the forefront of the aviation industry’s drive to sustainability. Book and Claim enables our operators to encourage the production of SAF and participate now in the decarbonization of the sector.” 

Globally, business aviation produces 0.04% of carbon emissions. 

In 2022, the aviation industry continued to make strong progress on sustainability. SAF production doubled in 2022, and supplies are expected to grow more than 400% between 2022 and 2025, according to recently released data. The Assembly of 193 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) members pledged to support the long-term aviation goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. And among other achievements, the industry convinced U.S. policymakers to enact a blenders tax credit to incentivize SAF production. 

Concluded Edwards: “We have been striving to become more sustainable for many years, and the impact of our efforts is now becoming clearer. Our industry will continue to innovate and increase aviation’s climate action to achieve our carbon reduction goals.” 

A fact sheet with additional information about Book & Claim is available here and more information about Clean Skies for Tomorrow is available here.