10 September 2014: A seminar organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), titled ‘Fueling Aviation with Green Technology,’ brought together representatives of government, academia, international organizations and businesses to share information on latest technologies for reducing aviation emissions.

Organized from 9-10 September 2014, at ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada, the seminar, which for the first time explored the future of aviation from environmental and life-cycle perspectives, convened over seven sessions, and comprised over 40 presentations on: current and future aircraft technologies; airplane scrapping and recycling; technologies for green aviation operations; eco-airports; renewable energy for aviation; sustainable alternative fuels; and financing and assistance.

Delivering the opening address, Raymond Benjamin, ICAO Secretary General, stressed ICAO’s partnerships with aviation industry stakeholders and support to a globally-harmonized approach to environmental impacts of aviation, and emphasized technical work undertaken by ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP).

He also announced that ICAO will serve as the Institutional and Aeronautical Partner for ‘Solar Impulse,’ a private-sector initiative aiming to achieve an around-the-world solar flight by 2015. The event also saw the unveiling of a model of Airbus electric ‘E-Fan’ aircraft, which achieved its first flight in April 2014, in Bordeaux, France.

Summarizing the seminar, Jane Hupe, ICAO Deputy Director of Environment, noted growing awareness within the sector that technological progress is key to achieving environmental sustainability. She stressed that aircraft are becoming increasingly efficient and using sustainable fuels, and that research and development (R&D) continues to seek technological advances, and stressed the need for the global aviation system to adapt to climate change in order to ensure continuity of air transport links internationally.

The seminar also considered environment-relevant outcomes of the 38th session of the ICAO Assembly, held from 24 September to 4 October 2013, and served as the basis for ICAO’s contribution to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Change Summit, to be held on 23 September 2014, in New York, US. [ICAO Seminar Webpage] [ICAO Seminar Presentations] [Solar Impulse Video on Youtube] [IISD-RS Sources]