The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it will establish the SAF Registry (Registry) to accelerate the uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) by authoritatively accounting for and reporting emissions reductions from SAF.
The trade association of the world's airline said 17 airlines, one airline group, six national authorities, three Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and one fuel producer are already supporting the effort to develop the Registry, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025.
SAF is expected to account for up to 65% of the total carbon mitigation needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions in air transportation by 2050.
"SAF is key to aviation's decarbonization. Airlines want more SAF and stand ready to use every drop of it. The SAF Registry will help meet the critical needs of all stakeholders as part of the global effort to ramp-up SAF production," said Willie Walsh, director-general of IATA.
He noted that governments need a trusted system to track the quality and quantities of SAF used and SAF producers also need to accurately account for what has been delivered and effectively decarbonized.
"Corporate customers must be able to transparently account for their Scope 3 emissions. And airlines must have certainty that they can claim the environmental benefits of the SAF they purchased," Walsh added.
"The Registry will meet all these needs. In doing so, the Registry will help create a global SAF market by ensuring that airlines have access to SAF wherever it is produced and that SAF producers have access to airlines regardless of their location," the IATA chief further said.
IATA said The Registry will allow airlines to purchase SAF regardless of where it is produced. Each batch's certified environmental attributes can be tracked and assigned to the purchasing airline.
The Registry will also be neutral regarding regulations, types of SAF, and any other specificities under relevant jurisdictions and frameworks, making it capable of handling all such user requirements.
IATA noted that The Registry will help airlines meet regulations such as the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, ensuring compliance with SAF mandates and providing transparency to authorities regarding emissions reductions.
"The Registry will ensure that the sector's agreed SAF accounting and reporting principles are adhered to and fully in alignment with international protocols and industry best practices. It will provide safeguards against double counting and double claiming and ensure the immutability and integrity of all interventions under the Registry," IATA said, adding that independent governance will ensure the system's impartiality and robustness.
The Registry will also promote cost efficiency as participation in the registry will be on a cost-recovery basis to avoid adding unnecessary cost barriers to the SAF ramp-up.
IATA said The Registry is being developed in consultation with airlines, government authorities, international organizations, OEMs, fuel producers and suppliers, airports, and corporate travel management companies.
"Key and unique among the project's stakeholders is the participation of governments with the specific aim of ensuing compliance with the requirements of civil aviation authorities," the announcement said.
