IATA Sustainability Symposium 2026: How MENA Aviation Can Capitalise

The Fourth IATA World Sustainability Symposium (13–14 Oct 2026, Brussels, Belgium) highlighted commercial opportunities for MENA aviation, including the supply of carbon credits and synthetic fuels to support global net-zero.

Dr Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, noted that “Corporate participation alone will not deliver the scale of SAF that aviation requires. Continued government support, effective incentives and a significant expansion of production capacity remain essential.”

Global data disclosed at the symposium highlights massive structural gaps that MENA is uniquely positioned to turn into commercial opportunities:

The CORSIA Gap: Exporting Carbon Credits

Symposium data confirmed a severe bottleneck within the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). With only 72 million Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs) currently authorised against a 200–250 million-unit initial demand, there is a massive 128-178-million-unit gap. MENA states can utilise domestic renewable energy projects to certify and export EEUs, transforming compliance into a lucrative revenue stream.

Europe’s SAF Struggle: The MENA Opportunity

IATA’s new market report highlighted that the future supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Europe supplied 1.1 million tonnes of SAF in 2025, surpassing the 2% blending target. However, high costs and biological feedstock limits threaten the 2030 target of 6%. MENA’s abundant solar power and green hydrogen infrastructure position it to be a global leader in the production of synthetic e-HEFA (e-SAF).

CORSIA Integration: Stopping Double Taxation

IATA urged governments to block European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) expansion outside Europe and implement CORSIA in its entirety for all international flights. This would protect Middle Eastern carriers from double taxation and preserve their competitive edge. CORSIA integration remains vital to presewealth, the MENA region can accelerate the production of synthetic e-SAF and export high-quality EEUs, turning compliance into a competitive advantage and control over zero-carbon aviation fuel supply chains.

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