The International Air Transport Association highlights the sluggish growth of sustainable aviation fuel production, emphasising the urgent need for policy support and infrastructure to meet the sector’s net zero ambitions by 2050.
The gap between aviation’s climate ambition and the fuel available to support it remains stark, with the International Air Transport Association warning that sustainable aviation fuel production is still advancing too slowly to put the sector on track for net zero by 2050.
IATA estimates that global SAF output will reach about 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, equal to just 0.8% of aviation fuel demand. At that level, the association says, airlines will face an added fuel bill of around US$4.3 billion. Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said the industry was facing another year of disappointing progress and argued that the pace of development has been undermined by poorly sequenced policy and limited engagement from oil companies.
The association has long argued that SAF will have to do most of the heavy lifting in aviation decarbonisation. In its own materials, IATA says SAF can cut lifecycle carbon emissions by as much as 80% and could account for roughly 65% of the emissions reductions needed for aviation to reach net zero in 2050. But turning that promise into volumes remains the core problem. Production has increased, but from a very low base, and even IATA’s own 2025 forecast put SAF at 2 million tonnes, or 0.7% of airline fuel consumption, with a global cost impact of US$4.4 billion.
IATA is urging governments to act on four fronts: expand renewable power supply, open access to fuel infrastructure, create stronger and better-sequenced policy support, and build a genuinely global SAF market with commercially viable pricing. The group says book-and-claim is essential if SAF is to scale beyond local supply constraints and reach airlines wherever they operate.
The situation is even more acute for electro-SAF, or e-SAF, which is produced using renewable electricity, green hydrogen, water and captured carbon dioxide. IATA says global operating and planned e-SAF capacity is only about 0.02 million tonnes, with just one plant currently running. Against that backdrop, the EU and the UK have set mandates for around 0.6 million tonnes of e-SAF by 2030. Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s senior vice president for sustainability and chief economist, called those targets detached from current industrial reality and said mandates should follow, not precede, the build-out of renewable energy and production capacity.
For industrial decarbonisation professionals, the message is familiar: technology targets mean little without feedstocks, power, infrastructure, bankable policy and investable demand. IATA’s latest figures suggest aviation is now confronting that reality in full view.
- https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2026/06/saf-production-volumes-are-disappointing/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/06-06-saf-production-volumes-still-disappointing/ – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released estimates indicating that global Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production is expected to reach approximately 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, accounting for just 0.8% of aviation fuel use. This represents a significant shortfall in meeting the aviation sector’s net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, expressed concern over the slow progress, attributing it to ineffective government policies and a lack of interest from oil companies. He emphasised the need for coordinated action to expand renewable energy supply, ensure open access to fuel infrastructure, strengthen policy support, and enable a global SAF market with sufficient volumes at commercially viable prices. Additionally, the article highlights the challenges in scaling up electro-SAF (e-SAF) production, noting that current global production capacity stands at around 0.02 million tonnes, with only one production site in operation. The EU and the UK have mandated e-SAF production of approximately 0.6 million tonnes by 2030, but achieving this target would require significant investment and infrastructure development. IATA’s Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Chief Economist, Marie Owens Thomsen, criticised the 2030 e-SAF targets as unrealistic and detached from reality, advocating for a more strategic approach to scaling up renewable energy production and building e-SAF production capacity. The article also discusses passenger support for decarbonisation, citing an IATA passenger survey from April 2026, which shows strong and consistent support for reducing emissions in air transport. A significant majority of passengers believe the industry should continue reducing emissions, even if government efforts diminish, and view flying as essential and something that must be made sustainable. This support is further evidenced by passengers’ willingness to pay more to compensate for emissions and their preference for airlines with stronger environmental performance.
- https://www.iata.org/en/programs/sustainability/sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf/ – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) provides comprehensive information on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a liquid fuel used in commercial aviation that can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80%. SAF can be produced from various sources, including waste oils, fats, municipal waste, and non-food crops, as well as synthetically via processes that capture carbon directly from the air. SAF is considered sustainable because its raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies and is not responsible for forest degradation. Unlike fossil fuels, SAF recycles the CO2 absorbed by the biomass used in its feedstock during its lifecycle. IATA estimates that SAF could contribute around 65% of the reduction in emissions needed by aviation to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. However, achieving this will require a massive increase in production to meet demand. The association emphasises the critical role of government policy in deploying SAF, encouraging harmonised policies across countries and industries that are technology and feedstock agnostic. Incentives should be used to accelerate SAF deployment, and mandates should only be implemented as part of a broader strategy to increase SAF production, complemented by incentive programs that facilitate innovation, scale-up, and unit cost reduction. IATA has developed the Net Zero Policy Roadmap to support governments in this effort, providing a menu of policy options and practical measures that can help aviation achieve its decarbonisation goals, including the scale-up of SAF production and deployment. Governments are also encouraged to work through international bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and mechanisms like the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to ensure globally harmonised approaches to aviation decarbonisation and the scale-up of SAF.
- https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2025-releases/2025-06-01-02/ – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it expects Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production to reach 2 million tonnes (Mt) in 2025, accounting for 0.7% of airlines’ total fuel consumption. While this represents a doubling of SAF production compared to previous years, it still falls short of the aviation sector’s decarbonisation goals. IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, expressed concern over the slow progress, stating that even this relatively small amount would add $4.4 billion globally to the fuel bill. He emphasised the need for accelerated efforts to ramp up production and gain efficiencies to reduce costs. The announcement highlights the challenges in scaling up SAF production to meet the aviation industry’s net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050. The article underscores the importance of coordinated action across the SAF value chain and a broader energy system transformation to achieve the necessary scale-up in production. It also points to the critical role of government policies in creating the conditions needed to accelerate production, reduce costs, and support market development. The article calls for supportive government policies, including production incentives, grants, loan guarantees, and policies that facilitate access to feedstocks and infrastructure, to help bridge the price gap between SAF and conventional aviation fuel and provide long-term certainty for investors and producers.
- https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/opinions/turning-saf-promises-into-saf-production/ – In this opinion piece, Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Economist at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), discusses the gap between SAF promises and actual production. Despite global commitments to decarbonise aviation by 2050, with SAF playing a significant role, current production levels are insufficient to meet these goals. Thomsen highlights that SAF production today satisfies just 0.7% of aviation’s fuel needs, far below the required levels to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. She calls for a critical re-set of efforts to make SAF the decarbonisation driver needed, emphasising the importance of turning targets, promises, and pledges of support into actual SAF production. The article underscores the need for coordinated action across the SAF value chain and a broader energy system transformation to achieve the necessary scale-up in production. It also points to the critical role of government policies in creating the conditions needed to accelerate production, reduce costs, and support market development. The piece advocates for supportive government policies, including production incentives, grants, loan guarantees, and policies that facilitate access to feedstocks and infrastructure, to help bridge the price gap between SAF and conventional aviation fuel and provide long-term certainty for investors and producers.
- https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2026/06/saf-production-volumes-are-disappointing/ – The article from TTR Weekly reports on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) recent estimates regarding Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production. IATA projects that global SAF production will reach approximately 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, accounting for just 0.8% of aviation fuel use. This is considered a disappointing figure, especially given the aviation sector’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh
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The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on 8 June 2026, referencing an IATA press release dated 6 June 2026. ([iata.org](https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/06-06-saf-production-volumes-still-disappointing/?utm_source=openai)) The information is current, with no evidence of prior publication or recycled content. However, the article’s reliance on a press release may indicate a lack of independent reporting.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, and Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist, Marie Owens Thomsen. ([iata.org](https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2026-releases/06-06-saf-production-volumes-still-disappointing/?utm_source=openai)) While these quotes are attributed to the IATA press release, their authenticity cannot be independently verified without access to the original source.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The primary source is IATA’s official press release, which is authoritative but may present a biased perspective. The article also cites TTR Weekly, a niche publication with limited reach, which may affect the overall reliability of the information.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about SAF production volumes and the challenges in scaling up production align with IATA’s previous statements and industry reports. ([iata.org](https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2025-releases/2025-12-09-04?utm_source=openai)) However, the article’s reliance on a single source without independent verification raises concerns about the accuracy of the information.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents current information on SAF production volumes, referencing IATA’s recent press release. However, the heavy reliance on a single source without independent verification raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information. The lack of corroborating sources and the potential bias of the primary source contribute to a medium level of confidence in the content’s veracity.
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