As the aviation industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, the UAE is emerging as a global leader in sustainable transformation. With a legacy rooted in environmental stewardship, the country is aligning its civil aviation strategies with broader climate goals to build a greener and more resilient future for the sector, both regionally and globally.

The UAE’s commitment to sustainability is deeply embedded in its national identity. From the early leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who viewed environmental responsibility as central to the country’s development, sustainability has remained a guiding principle. This commitment is reaffirmed in the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) latest report, An Inside Look at Civil Aviation in the UAE.

Over the past 15 years, the UAE has advanced numerous initiatives to reduce aviation emissions. In 2012, it submitted its first State Action Plan for Reducing Aviation Emissions to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), followed by a globally recognized plan in 2018. This week, following Cabinet approval, the GCAA submitted the third edition, reinforcing the nation’s ongoing dedication to sustainable aviation.

The UAE was an early adopter of ICAO’s CORSIA scheme, joining voluntarily in 2020. By the end of 2024, it had launched the region’s first digital CORSIA platform as part of key national transformation initiatives.

The country has also developed a National SAF Roadmap, aiming to produce 700 million litres of annual sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. It hosted ICAO’s CAAF/3, which led to the historic Global Framework for SAF, and launched the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace (GSAM), now recognized as an official ICAO event. Additionally, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding with Volar Air Mobility to establish the nation’s first Green Aviation Technology Hub.