Basel, Switzerland-based Jet Aviation AG is encouraging those utilising business aviation to participate in the Davos forum to use Book-and-Claim, a transaction that enables the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), even if SAF is not available from their departing airport.

Book-and-Claim, used for many years in the energy sector, reduces carbon emissions and increases demand for SAF, incentivising more production. SAF can reduce aviation lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent over legacy fuels.

“Each year participants to Davos are encouraged to purchase sustainable aviation fuel to inset their transportation,” says the World Economic Forum's Clean Skies for Tomorrow's policy lead Adrienne Gibbs. “Purchasing SAF provides travellers with a way to directly invest in eliminating aviation lifecycle emissions. Clean Skies for Tomorrow is excited about the progress made on SAF in recent years and about the purchase options that exist for both business aviation customers and those travelling on commercial airlines. Our hope is that in the future, flying on SAF becomes the norm.”

“We are committed to providing sustainable choices for our customers,” adds Jet Aviation president, David Paddock. “We also recognise that achieving a more sustainable future is not just about the services we provide, but how we provide them and how we do business in the communities in which we operate. Book & Claim allows anyone travelling to and from Davos to support sustainability and grow the market for sustainable aviation fuels.”

The Book-and-Claim buyer does not consume the sustainable fuel; instead, the SAF will be inserted by Jet Aviation into the supply chain in an independent transaction while the buyer or operator gets a credit for their SAF purchase and the emissions reduction. This initiative is just one of business aviation's comprehensive set of actions to decarbonise the sector and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition to SAF, the industry is cutting emissions by increasing efficiency on the ground and in the air, developing new propulsion systems and zero-emissions advanced air mobility, and using other initiatives that invest in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Business aviation is deeply committed to climate action, and we are proud that we have reduced our carbon emissions 40 per cent over the past 40 years,” says International Business Aviation Council director general and SAF Coalition Steering Committee co-chair Kurt Edwards. “Our member companies have been at the forefront of the aviation industry's drive to sustainability. Book and Claim enables our operators to encourage the production of SAF and participate now in the decarbonisation of the sector.”

Globally, business aviation produces 0.04 per cent of carbon emissions.

In 2022, the aviation industry continued to make strong progress on sustainability. SAF production doubled, and supplies are expected to grow more than 400 per cent between 2022 and 2025 according to recently released data. The Assembly of 193 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) members pledged to support the long term aviation goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. And among other achievements, the industry convinced US policymakers to enact a blenders tax credit to incentivise SAF production.

Edwards concludes: “We have been striving to become more sustainable for many years, and the impact of our efforts is now becoming clearer. Our industry will continue to innovate and increase aviation's climate action to achieve our carbon reduction goals.”

The Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a coalition of leading international aviation groups. Members include the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). The SAF Coalition's work is supported by a steering committee that includes dozens of aviation businesses that represent all points along the SAF supply chain.