International call for a blending mandate of sustainable aviation fuels

Today, the Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) coalition, of which Royal Schiphol Group is a member, asked the European Commission to establish a blending mandate of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe by 2025 at the latest. According to CST, a blending mandate is a powerful incentive to scale up the production of sustainable aviation fuels.

CST would like the European Commission to announce the mandate next year and to have it in force no later than 2025. In the period leading up to 2050, CST would like the mandatory blending ratio to increase.

CEO Dick Benschop: “We are aiming for a net-zero-carbon aviation sector in 2050. Innovation is the way forward to realize this ambition. Sustainable aviation fuel is a proven technology which need to be scaled up. An European blending mandate is an great example of a policy measure that drives investments and innovation.”

In order to make aviation more sustainable, Royal Schiphol Group has been advocating a belnding mandate of sustainable fuels for some time now at the international level. To this end, CEO Dick Benschop has already spoken with the Dutch government and the European government.

Seven pillars of European aviation policy
In addition to the call for mandatory blending, in the Joint Policy Proposal to Accelerate the Deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Europe, CST has outlined seven pillars on which it feels that European aviation policy should be based. All these pillars contribute to making aviation more sustainable.

1. Establishing a long-term policy framework that stimulates the production and consumption of sustainable aviation fuel
2. Supporting the development of radical new aircraft systems, such as using electricity and hydrogen to power aviation
3. Increasing efficiency by creating a Single European Sky
4. Encouraging fleet renewal, for example with financial incentives
5. Maintaining CO₂ pricing policy and reinforcing it when the COVID-19 crisis ends
6. Supporting the introduction of CORSIA
7. Continuing diplomatic efforts to achieve CO₂ neutrality in global aviation

Clean Skies for Tomorrow
CST is an alliance within the World Economic Forum that works together to develop sustainable solutions to ensure that aviation is CO₂-neutral by 2050. The coalition comprises airlines, airports, manufacturers and fuel suppliers. Its members include Airbus Group, The Boeing Company, KLM, Shell, SkyNRG, Heathrow Airport and Royal Schiphol Group.