We finally launched the Practitioner’s Guide 1.0 for “The Milestone Concept” – a simple, progress-based framework – scientifically vetted – to make decarbonization visible, credible, and useful for strategy and finance.
Developed by impact the scientifically vetted Milestone Concept cuts through reporting complexity by focusing on what’s actually happening now, not distant, assumption-heavy targets.
HOW IT WORKS
Built on just two readily available data points
Lower reporting burden, higher comparability
Designed to tackle greenwashing by showing incremental progress
Supports airlines, lessors, lenders & investors with a shared view of transition progress
Whether through fleet renewal, SAF uptake, or other levers, this approach turns operational steps into clear, decision-useful metrics – without recalibrating long-term pathways every year.
The guide is live now and will evolve as the industry does, incorporating new themes like non-CO₂ effects and removals.
The long-awaited STIP represents a step in the right direction, pending further deliverables.
The European Commission announced the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), aiming to mobilise EUR 2.9 billion by 2027 to accelerate investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels for aviation and shipping. The plan introduces short-term funding support, medium-term market mechanisms, and commitments to fix gaps in existing SAF policy implementation.
KEY ELEMENTS
Short-term measures
Mobilisation of EUR 2.9 billion via existing EU programmes: Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe, InvestEU, and EIB’s TechEU.
Innovation Fund: EUR 153 million for synthetic aviation fuel, EUR 293 million for maritime fuels.
Hydrogen Bank: EUR 300 million call (Dec 2025) to support e-fuel production.
InvestEU: expected to mobilise EUR 2 billion in private investment by 2027.
Horizon Europe & EIC: EUR 133 million and EUR 300 million for R&I and early-stage renewable fuel technologies.
Medium-term measures
Preparation of an EU-wide “double-sided auction” (modeled on H₂Global) to give revenue certainty to e-SAF and sustainable maritime fuel producers.
Launch of an e-SAF Early Movers Coalition pilot in early 2026 (EUR 500 million target).
Study and design of governance, funding, and auction models ahead of inclusion in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (post-2027).
Encouragement for Member States to:
Use Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) for e-fuel support.
Finalise the Energy Taxation Directive and reduce fossil-fuel subsidies.
Reinvest ETS revenues into aviation and maritime decarbonisation.
Policy & regulatory fixes
Possible extension of free ETS allowances for SAF.
Simplification of SAF mandate rules and supplier obligations (traceability, reporting, digitalisation).
Recognition of Book & Claim systems as a potential tool for e-SAF scale-up.
Strategic implications
STIP aligns with the Draghi Report and Clean Industrial Deal, reinforcing the EU’s goal to maintain technological leadership in sustainable fuels. Europe currently holds 60 % of global synthetic-fuel patents and most commercial-scale biofuel facilities.
However, the Commission does not foresee e-SAF Final Investment Decisions before 2027, warning that investment must begin by that year to meet 2030 targets.
Key takeaway
STIP represents a major financial and policy commitment to advance sustainable aviation fuels, but the absence of a near-term revenue certainty mechanism means that FID delays remain likely until Theo full auction framework is operational.
impact’s Practitioners’ Guide: Integrating impact’s Milestone Concept into Aviation Transactions has entered its final stage of review — marking an important milestone on the journey toward a more transparent and accountable approach to aviation decarbonization.
Developed collaboratively across impact’s workstreams and refined with insights from experts spanning airlines, lessors, financiers, and policy organizations, the Guide translaDeveloped collaboratively across impact’s workstreams and refined with insights from experts spanning airlines, lessors, financiers, and policy organizations, the Guide translates the Milestone Concept into practical, user-oriented guidance for applying measurable sustainability milestones in aviation finance and investment decisions. It aims to empower decision-makers across the aviation finance ecosystem to translate ambition into measurable progress toward net zero.
Unlike long-term, assumption-based targets and roadmaps that are frequently revised, the Milestone Concept focuses on measuring real, granular progress — tracking how airlines and portfolio financiers are moving toward decarbonization in practice, year by year. By basing assessments on observable data rather than distant projections, it helps reduce uncertainty, increase comparability, and strengthen accountability across the aviation finance value chain.
The Concept’s simplicity is one of its strengths. It relies on just three essential KPIs to evaluate decarbonization progress:
Absolute CO₂ emissions
Capacity, preferably expressed as Available Tonne Kilometers (ATK)
Decoupling of CO₂ emissions trends from capacity development, demonstrating efficiency gains over time
This final review phase invites diverse industry voices to ensure the Guide is not only analytically sound but also relevant, user-friendly, and impactful in real-world applications.
The review process will conclude in mid-November, with publication targeted for early December 2025. The Practitioners’ Guide will mark an important step in supporting transparent, comparable, and action-oriented approaches to assessing aviation’s decarbonization progress.
Watch the ISTAT Learning Lab session on “Sustainable Finance Fundamentals: Driving Aviation Toward Net Zero” with Jean Chedeville (Natixis) and Prof. Tom Conlon (University College Dublin) to learn more about our Milestone Concept: Sustainable Finance Fundamentals: Driving Aviation Toward Net Zero
We’re excited to share that our Practitioners’ Guide is now in the final review phase — stay tuned for its release in Q4 2025!
This guide is the result of a collaborative effort across impact’s workstreams — bringing together diverse expertise to create a practical tool for the industry.
Designed for financiers, lessors, lawyers, consultants, and other professionals involved in aircraft financing, the Guide will help you: 🔹 Integrate impact’s Milestone Concept into financing and leasing transactions 🔹 Make informed, sustainability-driven decisions 🔹 Identify the truly essential KPIs to track progress in CO2 emissions reduction and apply these in a clear, practical, and actionable way
Whether you’re structuring a deal, advising clients, or aligning your portfolio with sustainability goals — this Guide is built to support your journey!
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