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IATA announces third World Sustainability Symposium set for Hong Kong in October 2025

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IATA announces third World Sustainability Symposium set for Hong Kong in October 2025
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Marie Owens Thomsen Senior Vice President Sustainability & Chief Economist | International Air Transport Association - IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will hold its third World Sustainability Symposium in Hong Kong SAR, China, on October 21–22, 2025. Cathay Pacific will serve as the host airline for the event. The symposium is expected to attract leaders from aviation, energy, finance, and policy sectors to discuss strategies for achieving net zero CO2 emissions in aviation by 2050.

Ronald Lam, CEO of the Cathay Group, said: “As the IATA World Sustainability Symposium lands in Asia for the first time, 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. Such cooperation is especially important as the industry works to develop the ecosystem of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Hong Kong having the potential to become one of Asia’s major centers for SAF in the future.”

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented: “We are at a crucial point. Airlines are fully committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But we have not seen sufficient, timely action by policymakers, aerospace manufacturers, oil companies, or fuel producers to support this commitment. This event is an essential rallying call for all those who have a stake in air transport’s future to overcome any challenges in the way of accelerating the pace of this crucial energy transition.”

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The timing of this year’s symposium follows significant events such as the 42nd ICAO Assembly where advocacy efforts were made for stronger government policies supporting aviation's transition toward sustainable fuels and ensuring CORSIA's integrity. It also precedes COP30 which will focus on turning climate pledges into action. The symposium aims to connect these milestones through discussions on practical steps like expanding SAF production capacity; securing financing needed—estimated at $4.7 trillion—for decarbonization; integrating new technologies; and fostering increased collaboration throughout aviation's value chain.

The opening session will feature remarks from Ronald Lam and a keynote address by Mable Chan, Secretary of Transport & Logistics for Hong Kong SAR Government. Patrick Healy, Chair of Cathay Group, will join Willie Walsh in a leadership conversation reviewing progress on decarbonization efforts. Other speakers include Jun Ma (Hong Kong Green Finance Association), Fabiano Piccino (Kuehne+Nagel), Jouk Boeye (HSBC), Christopher Au (WTW), and Ayesha Choudhury (Infinium).

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist stated: “WSS is where airlines and all stakeholders get together to develop the understanding and the policies that are necessary to achieve the financial and environmental sustainability of airlines. It is a platform for radical collaboration, involving all disciplines and sectors, and where efforts can be coordinated to bring practical solutions to the market. Decarbonizing the airline industry is not just an industry issue but part of the global energy-transition that cuts across the whole world economy. If treated as such, adopting a holistic approach encompassing policy, energy and finance to agriculture, technology and more, it will be possible to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions in 2050.”

According to IATA’s summary about WSS events held previously each year since inception over 500 participants—including representatives from airlines along with fuel suppliers investors regulators innovators—attend from around world.

Organizations Included in this History
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