Hong Kong to Host the 3rd IATA World Sustainability Symposium

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has declared that its third World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) will be hosted in Hong Kong SAR, China. This significant event is set for October 21-22, with Cathay Pacific serving as the hosting airline. The symposium will gather leaders from the aviation, energy, finance, and policy sectors to further the commitment to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

This will be the first occasion the symposium is held in Asia.

Key Highlights:

• Ronald Lam, Chief Executive of Cathay Group, expressed, *“We are honoured that Hong Kong has been selected as the location and Cathay Pacific as the host airline. Collaboration across multiple sectors and regulators is essential for aviation to achieve its decarbonization goals, and gatherings like this provide a valuable platform for leading voices to come together to drive meaningful change…”

  Translation: *“We are honored that Hong Kong has been selected as the location and Cathay Pacific as the host airline. Collaboration across multiple sectors and regulators is essential for aviation to achieve its decarbonization goals, and gatherings like this provide a valuable platform for leading voices to come together to drive meaningful change…”

• Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, underscored the importance of the symposium at this critical juncture, stating, *“While airlines are fully committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, we have not seen sufficient action by policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, or fuel producers. This event is an essential rallying call for all stakeholders in air transport to overcome challenges in accelerating this crucial transition…”

  Translation: *“While airlines are fully committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, we have not seen sufficient action by policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, or fuel producers. This event is an essential rallying call for all stakeholders in air transport to overcome challenges in accelerating this crucial transition…”

Focus Areas of the Symposium

1. Removing barriers to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.
2. Attracting financing necessary for the $4.7 trillion decarbonization effort.
3. Integrating developments in emerging technologies.
4. Promoting broader collaboration across the aviation value chain.

The symposium will kick off with speeches from Ronald Lam and a keynote address from Mable Chan. A notable panel discussion will feature Patrick Healy and Willie Walsh discussing progress on decarbonization initiatives and the path forward for the industry.