Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: In 2022-24, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) appeared to has both positive and negative engagement with US climate policies for aviation. AIA appeared to support the US sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blenders tax credit, while pushing for weaker sustainability criteria for SAFs.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: In AIA’s April 2022 ‘Horizon 2050’ report, AIA appeared supportive of net-zero CO2 emissions from international aviation by 2050. The report also appeared to support policies, incentives and market-based measures in response to climate change, but appeared to promote a “cohesive international strategy” achieved by global regulation through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) over regional regulations. AIA CEO, Eric Fanning also supported ICAO’s 2050 goal of net-zero CO2 emissions from international aviation in a March 2024 press release. AIA does not appear to have recently published a position on the Paris Agreement.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: In 2022-24, AIA appeared supportive of policies incentivizing SAFs and ICAO’s CO2 standards. AIA’s ‘Horizon 2050’ report, published in April 2022, supported the Biden Administration’s ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge’. AIA further supported a SAF blenders tax credit in an April 2022 joint letter and CEO, Eric Fanning, also supported the measure in a July 2022 release. In US regulatory comments, AIA supported the US SAF blenders tax credit through the ‘SAF BTC Coalition’ in February 2023. Similarly, through the ‘SAF BTC Coalition’, AIA supported the Clean Fuel Production Credit, with minor exceptions including the accreditation of non-domestic feedstocks, in December 2022 US regulatory comments.
However, through the ‘SAF BTC Coalition’, A4A appeared to advocate for weaker sustainability criteria for SAFs to protect land-based carbon stores under the SAF blenders tax credit and Clean Fuel Producers Credit in February 2023 and December 2022 US consultation responses.
Regarding ICAO’s CO2 standards, AIA’s Horizon 2050 report, published in April 2022, suggested support for the implementation of the global standard into US law through the FAA. Regulatory comments from February 2022 and April 2022 by AIA on further appeared supportive of ICAO’s CO2 standards. However, in response to an August 2022 consultation regarding Airplane Fuel Efficiency Standards, AIA appeared to oppose the inclusion of rotorcraft, piston-engined and state aircraft from CO2 standards.
In February 2023 AIA signed a joint response response to the Federal Acquisition Regulation’s (FAR) proposed GHG emissions targets, which appeared to oppose the measure, which would require federal contractors to set science-based GHG emissions targets, asserting the Acquisition Regulation Council was acting beyond its legal boundary. Similarly, in February 2023, AIA submitted its own regulatory comments which appeared to oppose the GHG emissions targets proposed by FAR. In a September 2023 testimony to a House subcommittee, AIA CEO, Eric Fanning opposed the FAR GHG emissions targets, emphasizing implementation concerns and issues with ‘insert(ing) nongovernmental international entities into the federal contracting process’, such as the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
Positioning on Energy Transition: AIA appeared to support a transition from kerosene jet fuel to sustainable aviation fuels in 2022-24. AIA’s Horizon 2050 report, published in April 2022, supported SAFs in the short-term, alongside aircraft powered by renewable electricity and green hydrogen from 2030-2040. Similarly, in an April 2022 report co-authored with Accenture, AIA appeared to support a transition to electric and hydrogen-powered planes from 2040.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in 2024.