Transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan will urge global leaders to act on decarbonising the aviation sector during the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal on Thursday (28 September).
The UK is attending the assembly with the aim of reaching agreements which help secure the sustainability and resilience of global aviation.
During Trevelyan’s opening statement, ICAO – the United Nations’ body in charge of ensuring aviation is "safe, secure and environmentally friendly" – will be urged to adopt a long-term goal to clean up the sector and reduce its emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
She will also highlight the need for countries around the world to "learn lessons" from the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic and to ensure the global aviation sector is better prepared for future threats, such as public health crises.
During her address, she is expected to say: "We value international aviation’s important contribution to global commerce, travel and tourism and to economic growth globally. Now it must do so sustainably.
"Failure here puts the future of aviation itself at risk. We cannot ignore the threat that rising temperatures pose to our planet. This year alone we have seen extreme weather events affect all of our regions."
Suzi Kerr, senior vice president and chief economist for the Environmental Defense Fund, said: "There’s a bright future ahead where we can all thrive in a stable climate and where we can chart a more sustainable flight path while protecting ecosystems and supporting communities."
Find contacts for 260+ travel suppliers. Type name, company or destination.