Belem, Brazil, 18 November 2025 – The International Air Transport Association (IATA), alongside the governments of Japan and Malaysia and key industry stakeholders, has called for reinforced international cooperation to tackle aviation emissions. The appeal, issued at COP30, urges governments to reaffirm the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the sole global authority for addressing international aviation emissions and to accelerate efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The joint statement highlights the need for unified solutions, cautioning against fragmented or unilateral measures. Signatories stress that only coordinated global action can deliver meaningful climate outcomes for the sector. The statement also emphasises the role of robust carbon markets in scaling climate finance, a priority on the COP30 agenda and central to the Baku to Belem Roadmap.

“Aviation is a catalyst for global connectivity and economic development. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, governments must reaffirm ICAO’s role as the single global authority, fully implement CORSIA, and operationalise Article 6 to unlock climate finance for developing nations. Fragmented taxes and levies will not cut emissions—they risk diverting funds from real emission-reduction projects and undermine connectivity, affecting those who depend on it most,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Key points from the statement include:

• ICAO’s central role: ICAO’s authority, established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, is reaffirmed as the sole forum for regulating international aviation emissions. Signatories urge all States to uphold ICAO’s leadership and avoid duplicating mechanisms across international processes.
• Strengthening CORSIA: Governments are called upon to strengthen the implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), agreed by all 193 ICAO Member States. In CORSIA’s first phase (2024–26), airlines are expected to purchase over 200 million credits, generating USD 4–5 billion. This is projected to increase significantly through 2035, supporting high-quality, independently verified emission-reduction projects, particularly in developing countries, while promoting sustainable development, technology transfer, and job creation.
• Urgent operationalisation of Article 6: The statement urges host countries to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, issue Letters of Authorisation (LoAs), and enable the release of CORSIA-Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs). These steps are crucial to mobilise international climate finance and support sustainable development.
• Taxes and levies are not effective climate instruments: The signatories caution that ticket taxes and other levies are unlikely to reduce emissions effectively and risk diverting investment from real emission-reduction projects, while also threatening connectivity and disproportionately affecting developing nations and Small Island States.

Signatories of the joint statement include:

• Governments of Japan and Malaysia
• Airlines for Europe (A4E)
• Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO)
• Airports Council International (ACI)
• Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE)
• Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA)
• Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA)
• Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA)
• Air Transport Action Group (ATAG)
• European Regions Airline Association (ERA)
• International Business Aviation Council (IBAC)
• International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA)
• National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC)
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

For more information: IATA Corporate Communications, Tel: +41 22 770 2967, Email: corpcomms@iata.org