ATAG participated in COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2024, at which good outreach opportunities were provided through 45 aviation-related side events across the two weeks. For more information about the event and key discussions, please download the ATAG report. Please note that this is for industry reference only and should not be shared further.
COP 30 will take place in Belém, Brazil, from 10-21 November 2025. One item on the agenda will be the confirmation of ICAO’s role outside of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Governments are due to submit these imminently and the UNFCCC will then calculate progress towards the Paris agreement. These do not specifically reference aviation.
The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force (GSLTF) will also be discussed in Belém. This was established at COP 28 in Dubai in 2023 by the Presidents of France and Kenya, who have since been joined by a coalition of countries to help identify potential innovative levies that could help with climate financing. The GSLTF launched a brief public consultation earlier this year, sharing outlines for proposals on potential levies covering: aviation, fossil fuels, carbon pricing, shipping, financial transactions, plastic polymers, cryptocurrencies and high-net worth individuals.
Concepts for how aviation could be included in the proposal include: a kerosene fuel levy (commercial); a private jets fuel levy; a ticket-based – modular levy; and a ticket-based frequent flyer levy.
ATAG prepared some template responses to the consultation and shared these with industry contacts. After the initial public consultation, there will be more robust proposals presented at the World Bank Spring Meetings in late April. This will be followed by champions for each levy option being identified at a development financing event in June/July and further touchpoints at the September UN General Assembly and the COP 30 meeting in November.
ATAG is developing a whitepaper which we plan to make available in the spring of 2025. It will explain the various challenges associated with implementing an aviation levy, referencing the negative impact on trade and tourism, in particular for developing nations and small island states.
ATAG is exploring possibilities for organising another Global Sustainable Aviation Forum as a side event at COP 30. It would be similar to the Forum that we ran as an official partnership event of COP 28 in Dubai in 2023. Feasibility will depend on logistics and space availability.
An ATAG working group on the strategy for COP 30 will be established later in the year, which Principal Partner and Strategic Associate Members will be invited to join.
For more information about COP 30, please see the presentation from the Path to Net Zero Briefing #18, on the ATAG private website.