Welcome Messages - Magda Kopczyńska

Magda Kopczyńska

Magda Kopczyńska
Director-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission

This report, like its predecessors, is indispensable for its assessment of progress made and identification of challenges ahead. Through its comprehensive data and analysis, it supports informed decision-making and helps stakeholders evaluate the impact of current policies. For aviation, achieving environmental targets while maintaining connectivity and economic growth will require continued collaboration between government, industry, and civil society.

In recent years, Europe’s aviation sector has continued to navigate a challenging yet crucial path towards sustainability. We are on the verge of a major change, affecting the entire sector – from technological, energy and operational perspectives. The recent milestone developments, both in Europe and globally, give aviation a clear path towards significantly lowering its climate footprint.

With the European Green Deal legislation now fully adopted, EU aviation is set to help Europe become the first carbon-neutral continent. The ReFuelEU Aviation mandate, aiming for 70% Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) usage by 2050, is pivotal, supported by the Flight Emissions Label, fuel quality improvements, a clearing house, and financial incentives to scale SAF adoption.

Further measures include revised emissions reduction frameworks, such as the updated EU Emissions Trading System, and a plan to monitor non-CO2 emissions. The airport sector is also advancing, with 130 airports committed to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2030, bolstered by EU-supported renewable energy expansions.

Globally, ICAO’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal for aviation has strengthened the sector’s climate commitments, and a 5% CO2 reduction target for 2030 using SAF and cleaner energy has emerged as a short-term goal. Europe is also extending its environmental leadership, with over €20 million pledged to support aviation sustainability projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

However, the path ahead is far from straightforward. Europe is warming faster than any other continent, and the need for resilience in the aviation sector is increasingly apparent. Airports, airlines, and regulators need to prioritise preparedness for the impacts of climate change, while ensuring that the sector continues to meet its sustainability obligations.

As we move towards 2050, the European Commission is confident that the ongoing transformation of the sector, underpinned by robust policy frameworks and sustained innovation, will allow European aviation to not only meet its environmental obligations, but to lead the way in global efforts towards sustainability.