Global aviation stands united behind the principles of cooperation, transparency, and fairness that underpin the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) framework.
Achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 requires global solutions to global challenges — not fragmented measures or competing regimes. Together, we reaffirm our shared responsibility to advance climate action through ICAO, strengthen CORSIA, and ensure that international aviation continues to connect the world more sustainably and equitably.
ICAO’s Leadership in Regulating International Aviation Emissions
We reaffirm our shared commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050, in line with the long-term aspirational goal established collectively by States under the leadership of ICAO.
As the United Nations specialized agency for international civil aviation, ICAO is and must remain the exclusive global forum for addressing environmental matters related to international air transport.
Since 1997, ICAO’s authority has long been recognized under the legal frameworks of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), enshrined by the Kyoto Protocol. All the discussions, actions, and decisions ICAO has taken on international aviation emissions are developed through consensus and guided by the principle of non-discrimination against individual states and aircraft operators.
Fragmented or unilateral measures to address aviation’s environmental impact risk undermining ICAO’s authority and coordinated efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. We therefore emphasize the need to uphold ICAO’s central role and to resist the duplication of mechanisms across international processes and forums.
CORSIA contributes to the establishment of a global, transparent, and liquid carbon market
We recognize that the establishment of a global, transparent, and liquid carbon market represents a cornerstone for scaling up climate finance. Such a market can enhance cost-effective mitigation, mobilize private and public investments toward low-carbon development, and foster trust through robust monitoring, reporting, and verification frameworks. By ensuring environmental integrity, avoiding double-counting, and promoting participation across all stakeholders, an effective international carbon market can channel much-needed financial resources to developing countries, support just transitions, and promote innovation in sustainable technologies.
Approved by all 193 ICAO Member States in 2016, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a critical measure for achieving the net-zero carbon emissions target in international aviation.1 We are committed to transparency, collaboration, and delivering the confidence that both the air transport industry and the public expect from a credible compliance mechanism on a global scale.
CORSIA is projected to cover at least 85% of international aviation emissions by 2027 and to generate over USD 120 billion in climate finance between 2024 and 2035.2 These funds will directly support high-quality, independently verified emissions-reduction projects — particularly in developing countries — thereby advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement and promoting sustainable development, technology transfer, and job creation.
CORSIA is not merely a compliance mechanism; it is a vehicle for global and sustainable economic empowerment. It enables developing States to access international carbon markets and unlock broader investment opportunities that no unilateral taxation scheme could match.
The decisions adopted at COP29 on the operationalization of Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement provide a robust institutional foundation for CORSIA’s implementation. Host countries now have operational guidance to issue Letters of Authorization (LoAs) and apply the corresponding adjustments for the release of CORSIA-eligible emissions units (EEUs).
However, the pace of national implementation remains uneven, with only one State — Guyana — having successfully issued a Letter of Authorization (LoA) for CORSIA compliance and conducted the corresponding adjustment. We call on all host countries to urgently operationalize Article 6, issue the LoAs, and enable the release of EEUs to unlock the full potential of CORSIA in mobilizing international climate finance.
More precisely, we urge States to:
- Harmonize ICAO and UNFCCC processes to ensure transparency, avoid double-counting, and maintain environmental integrity.
• Establish or strengthen national structures to issue LoAs and conduct corresponding adjustments.
• Seek implementation assistance to accelerate compliance under Article 6.
• Prioritize these actions as immediate climate measures, recognizing that CORSIA EEUs could comprise two-thirds of all credits transferred under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.
Taxes and levies are not climate solutions.
We caution that taxes and levies — notably ticket taxes, including those proposed by emerging coalitions such as the Global Solidarity Levy Task Force (GSLTF) — are not climate instruments. Their primary purpose is revenue generation, not emissions reduction. Such measures risk curbing demand, constraining connectivity, and disproportionately harming developing economies and small island States that rely on air transport as an economic lifeline.
In line with ICAO’s Policies on Taxation in the Field of Air Transport (Doc 8632), States are urged to avoid discriminatory or duplicative taxes on the use of international aviation. Experience shows that such measures impede growth without delivering genuine climate benefits.
A Unified Call for Global Action
As the global community gathers at COP30, we call on all States, organizations, and development institutions to:
- Reaffirm ICAO’s leadership as the single global authority for aviation and climate policy.
- Support full implementation of CORSIA as the exclusive global market-based mechanism for international aviation, including within the European Union. • Accelerate the implementation of Article 6 to mobilize climate finance for developing economies.
- Avoid fragmented or overlapping measures that duplicate ICAO’s work or distort international policy coherence.
- Work collaboratively to foster innovation and sustain global connectivity in a just and inclusive transition.
Leave a Comment