IATA launches World Sustainability Symposium in Spain
The two-day event will focus on seven key areas crucial to achieving the industry’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to launch World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Madrid, Spain from October 3 to 4. With a shared commitment to decarbonize aviation by 2050, governments and industry stakeholders will gather to engage in critical discussions on sustainable practices and solutions.
“In 2021 airlines committed to net zero emissions by 2050. Last year governments made the same commitment through the International Civil Aviation Organization. Now the WSS will bring together the global community of sustainability experts in the industry and governments to debate and discuss the key enablers for aviation’s successful decarbonization, our biggest challenge ever,” said IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh in a June 26 press release, who is confirmed to speak at WSS.
The two-day event will focus on seven key areas crucial to achieving the industry’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. These areas include the overall strategy for reaching carbon neutrality, the role of government and policy support, effective implementation of sustainability measures, financing the energy transition, measuring and reporting emissions, addressing non-CO2 emissions and the importance of value chains.
The WSS aims to provide a tailored platform for sustainability professionals from airlines, regulators, policymakers and stakeholders within the aviation industry’s value chain. Attendees can look forward to gaining valuable insights from esteemed speakers who will share their expertise and perspectives on sustainability in aviation.
Among the notable speakers confirmed for the symposium are Patrick Healy, Chair of Cathay Pacific; Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group; Robert Miller, Professor of Aerothermal Technology and Director of the Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge; Suzanne Kearns, Founding Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aviation (WISA); Andre Zollinger, Policy Manager at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Economist at IATA.
As the industry strives to reduce its environmental impact, the symposium will provide a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of innovative solutions to drive the transition towards a greener aviation sector.
