New Delhi: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the establishment of the Civil Aviation Decarbonisation Organisation (CADO), an independent body designed to oversee the IATA-developed Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Registry once it is operational.
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Economist, expressed her views on the initiative, stating:
“CADO will accelerate the imminent launch of the IATA-developed SAF Registry. Its role is to manage the Registry independently of IATA, ensuring a transparent and globally inclusive approach that fosters the trust necessary to gain the confidence of all stakeholders. Importantly, the door will be open for any participant in the SAF value chain, including governments, to join CADO. This inclusive model aims to promote the harmonisation of the principles on which SAF registries worldwide operate.”
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, added:
“The SAF Registry is a crucial component in creating a global, transparent, and liquid SAF market. The aviation industry’s commitment to developing the Registry and establishing CADO to oversee it should encourage governments, fossil fuel producers, and investors to engage with the SAF market more actively. The shared objective is to scale up SAF production, and the framework we are establishing with CADO is a significant step in advancing aviation decarbonisation.”
What to Expect from CADO
CADO is a not-for-profit Canadian corporation based in Montreal. As one of its founding members, IATA will offer technical support and operational services to CADO on an ongoing basis. The organisation is designed to serve:
Entities operating within or supporting the SAF value chain, as well as organisations or groups affiliated with SAF stakeholders.
States or quasi-state actors with a direct interest in the operations and financial outcomes of the SAF Registry.
Interest groups that stand to benefit indirectly from the widespread adoption of sustainable aviation fuels.
About the SAF Registry
The SAF Registry, developed by IATA, will serve as a global system to standardise and transparently track SAF transactions. The system ensures that the environmental value of SAF is accurately recorded and allocated within the SAF value chain, enabling airlines and corporate buyers to meet regulatory requirements and participate in voluntary decarbonisation schemes.
Designed to address the challenge of limited SAF availability, the Registry will aggregate airlines, SAF suppliers, and manufacturers from around the world. This collaboration will enable corporate customers to contribute to in-sector emissions reductions by co-funding decarbonisation initiatives.
Participation in the SAF Registry will be free of charge until April 2027, after which it will transition to a cost-recovery model.
This move is seen as a key part of the aviation industry’s broader commitment to reducing carbon emissions and building a sustainable future for air travel. The creation of CADO and the SAF Registry is expected to pave the way for increased investment and innovation in sustainable aviation fuel technologies.