Study Finds Airlines Lagging in Sustainable Fuel Shift Amid Shortages

A study by Brussels-based advocacy group Transport and Environment has found that most of the world’s airlines are failing to transition to sustainable aviation fuel, raising concerns over their ability to meet carbon reduction goals.

The report also pointed to a lack of investment by oil producers, which is slowing efforts to scale up production.

The airline industry has been calling for more production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is derived from renewable sources such as wood chips and used cooking oil.

However, the study highlighted insufficient commitment from airlines to purchase SAF, despite its potential to significantly lower emissions.

“Unfortunately, airlines at the moment are not on the trajectory to have meaningful emissions reduction because they’re not buying enough sustainable aviation fuel,” said Francesco Catte, aviation policy manager at Transport and Environment.

Currently, SAF accounts for just one percent of aviation fuel usage globally, far below the levels needed to curb emissions. The high cost of SAF—ranging from two to five times the price of conventional jet fuel—has also hindered adoption.

Major oil companies, with the financial capacity to build SAF processing facilities, have not made sufficient investments, further hampering the market’s growth, the study said.

According to the report, Air France-KLM, United Airlines, and Norwegian Air were recognised for tangible steps toward purchasing cleaner-burning synthetic fuel. However, the report noted that 87 percent of airlines have failed to make meaningful progress, and even proactive carriers could miss their goals without additional investments.

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