The NBAA and a broad coalition of aviation groups have urged US Congress to consider wide-ranging and comprehensive legislative proposals to achieve dramatic carbon emissions reductions in upcoming infrastructure legislation.

The aviation groups called on the US Senate Commerce Committee, US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the US House Science, Space and Technology Committee to consider legislative efforts in four core areas that will be critical to realising the aviation sector's environmental goals. These proposals focus on the development, production and distribution of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the deployment of low- and zero-emission technologies, increased funding for aviation environmental research and development, and continued advancements in air traffic management.

“The aviation industry has a strong record of addressing its environmental impact and is committed to bold and significant steps to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” the aviation groups write. “To effectively address the climate change challenge, we must drive technology, infrastructure and operational advances faster and farther.”

To meet these goals, the industry groups have devised a comprehensive series of legislative proposals that will capitalise on the already significant sustainability investments made by the aviation industry. “We urge you to include these provisions in upcoming infrastructure legislation to provide one of the most difficult industries to decarbonise a once-in-a-generation opportunity leap ahead on our environmental goals,” the letter reads.

Addressing climate change will require ambitious and decisive action, says NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen: “While business aviation continues to make major investments in SAF and electric propulsion, to achieve our goals we need a partnership between industry and governments that enables and supports the technologies and policies that will allow us to meet our sustainability goals. With the policy proposals like a SAF-specific blender's tax credit and competitive grants for advanced air mobility planning and infrastructure, the aviation industry can take immediate and significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to working with congressional leaders to reducing aviation's impact on the environment constructively and effectively.”