The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with global consultancy ICF, has introduced a pioneering framework aimed at revolutionizing sustainability in the travel sector by vastly increasing the production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other renewable fuels. This initiative addresses one of the industry’s critical challenges: significantly reducing carbon emissions from transport.
Currently, SAF constitutes only 0.3% of global jet fuel consumption. To meet the ambitious global target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, SAF production must increase more than 400-fold—from roughly 1.25 billion litres today to 450 billion litres annually. This expansion will necessitate building approximately 6,500 renewable fuel production plants worldwide.
The marine sector faces similar hurdles with Sustainable Marine Fuel (SMF), grappling with supply and infrastructure constraints.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, emphasized the urgency: “Sustainable fuel is the single biggest game-changer for Travel & Tourism, but right now, supply falls dangerously short of demand. If we don’t act together, we risk rising costs, limited availability, and stalled climate progress. Every hotel, tour operator, travel agency, cruise line, and airline has a role to play. This framework provides the blueprint. Sustainable fuel is not just an environmental necessity; it’s a business imperative. Governments must incentivize production, not just set targets.”
This groundbreaking plan marks a crucial step toward cleaner energy adoption in a sector vital to the global economy.
