Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are one element of the ICAO basket of measures to reduce aviation emissions, which also includes technology and standards, operational improvements, and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
In its Resolution A40-18 (2019), the ICAO Assembly made several acknowlegements and requests related to SAF, including aspects related to sustainability and life cycle emissions. These Assembly requests are being pursued by ICAO in various fronts:
CORSIA and Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Annex 16 Volume IV defines a CORSIA Sustainable Aviation Fuel as a renewable or waste-derived aviation fuel that meets the CORSIA Sustainability Criteria under this Volume.
CORSIA includes specific methodologies that allow aircraft operators to reduce its offsetting requirements through the use of SAF, including globally-accepted sustainability criteria and life cycle methodologies. These are being developed by CAEP, through its Fuels Task Group (FTG),
Specific details on how SAF is considered under CORSIA are provided in the ICAO Environmental Report 2019, Chapter 6 – An Overview of CORSIA Eligible Fuels (CEF). Related documents are provided in the CORSIA eligible fuels website.
