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impact Practitioners’ Guide enters final review phase – driving real progress toward aviation decarbonization

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

Press Release: New Advisory Board members & expanded membership to drive aviation sustainability

We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of impact’s Advisory Board — strengthening our mission to accelerate aviation’s transition to net zero.

Joining the Advisory Board are three distinguished experts:

Philipp Goedeking, Strategic Advisor to the aviation industry
Christoffer Lythcke-Elberling, Head of Analytics at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Yasunori Takeuchi, CEO of Corporate Action Japan

Their combined expertise in aviation, finance, strategy and sustainability will be instrumental in guiding impact’s evidence-based approach to decarbonizing flight.

“We are very pleased to welcome Philipp Goedeking, Christoffer Lythcke-Elberling and Yasunori Takeuchi. Their expertise will significantly enhance IMPACT’s ability to engage stakeholders and drive aviation’s sustainable transition.”

— Ulrike Ziegler, Chairperson of IMPACT

Together with our 35+ members worldwide, we’re committed to enabling collaboration, supporting the finance community, and helping aviation take tangible steps toward sustainable flight.

Read the full press release here.

impact webinar “The Cost of Compliance with ReFuelEU” on Oct 27, 2025 at 3 pm CET

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is often described as “too expensive.” But what really drives this perception? In our upcoming webinar, The Cost of Compliance, we will unpack the true cost elements behind SAF and explore how greater clarity can shape investor confidence, airline appetite, and financing conditions.

Moderated by Andrew Doyle (Cirium), the expert round will feature a dynamic exchange of views from across the aviation value chain. Speakers include Dana Shoukroun (Invest Through Flying), Nikhil Sachdeva (Roland Berger), Dorottya Durucsko (Wizz Air), and Gregoire Le Comte (European Commission, DG MOVE).

Topics include:

Breaking down the “SAF premium”: what it is, how it impacts airlines, and the degree of transparency or negotiability in supplier pricing.
Mechanisms to narrow the price gap – from long-term offtakes and pooling to subsidies and market incentives.
The role of transparency in improving bankability, financing terms, and long-term contracting.
How EU SAF allowances can support offtakers, including eligibility criteria and procedures for allocation and pay-out.

Join us for a deep dive into the economics of SAF and what they mean for airlines, suppliers, and financiers navigating the path to compliance.

To request the recording please contact ziegler@impact-on-sustainable-aviation.org.

impact Briefing in Tokyo “A 360° Sustainability View on Aviation’s Future” – 9th September 2025

For this exclusive session, impact on sustainable aviation brings together leaders in Japan’s aviation finance, leasing, and asset management sectors to explore:

🔎 The complexity of aviation’s sustainability transition — and why it demands new approaches
🌐 Global developments and market opportunities
💰 Sustainability-linked lending and leasing
📝 Updates on impact’s initiatives, including the IMPACT Forum and the Practitioner’s Guide

Building on last year’s dialogue, we look forward to deepening the exchange and strengthen cooperation across regions and stakeholders — an essential step in shaping aviation’s sustainable future.

Please note that participation is by invitation only. If you are interested in joining, please reach out — we will be glad to consider offering a space, subject to availability.

本セッションでは、日本の航空ファイナンス、リース、アセットマネジメント分野のリーダーが集まり、以下のテーマについて議論をします：

🔎 航空業界におけるサステナビリティ移行の複雑性 ― 新たなアプローチが必要
🌐 世界動向と市場機会
💰 サステナビリティ・リンク・ローンやリース
📝 IMPACTフォーラムや「プラクティショナーガイド」などの、impactの最新イニシアチブの紹介

昨年の対話を基盤に、地域やステークホルダーを超えた交流をさらに深め、協力を強化できることを楽しみにしています。また、航空の持続可能な未来を形づくるための大事なステップだと確信しております。

本イベントは招待制です。ご参加にご関心のある方はぜひご連絡ください。空席状況に応じてご案内を検討させていただきます。

impact webinar “Infinium’s Project Roadrunner: The Road to Securing FID” on Sep 10, 2025, at 3 pm CET

On September 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM CET, impact on sustainable aviation e.V. will host a webinar exploring “Infinium’s Project Roadrunner: The Road to Securing FID”.

Bringing together the perspectives of producer, off-taker, investor and lender, the session will offer a rare, 360-degree look at how one of the most high-profile eSAF projects progressed from early-stage concept to a bankable reality. Alastair Blanshard (ICF) will moderate the discussion featuring Ayesha Choudhury (Infinium), Rohan D’Sa (HSBC), Aaron Robinson (International Airlines Group) and James Diaz-Sokoloff (AP Ventures).

We will explore how bankability was embedded in the project from the outset, how key risks were identified and mitigated, the role of U.S. policy incentives such as 45Z, and the other enablers that strengthened the investment case. The conversation will also examine how airlines are adapting procurement strategies to long-term SAF commitments, and whether similar projects can be replicated in Europe, Australia, and Japan.

Join us and register now: https://msteams.link/WJ39

impact speaks to… Amy Hebert, CEO of Arcadia eFuels, on ramping up e-SAF

✈️🌍 Scaling e-SAF in Europe: Policy, Offtakes, and the Road to FID

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Amy Hebert, CEO of Copenhagen-based Arcadia eFuels, to discuss the company’s progress — and the hurdles — in scaling up its e‑SAF production plant in Denmark.

Arcadia eFuels is working to bring large-scale e-SAF to market as an active member of Project SkyPower, aiming for a Final Investment Decision (FID) by the end of 2025 and operations by 2030.

But the challenges are clear:
🔹 Bankable long-term offtakes remain elusive — the voluntary SAF market, while “nice,” isn’t enough to finance major projects.
🔹 The upcoming EU Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) could be a game‑changer, with price support for e‑SAF and measures to de‑risk investment.
🔹 Early‑stage funding and competitive green hydrogen incentives are critical — yet Europe lags behind the U.S. and UK in hydrogen support.
🔹 The EU is holding firm on its ReFuelEU mandates — a strong signal that e‑SAF will be part of aviation’s decarbonization pathway.

💬 As Amy Hebert puts it: “If we had a long-term offtake agreement in hand, we could be at FID pretty immediately after that.”

📽️👇 Watch the interview with Amy Hebert and read the full article by Eduardo Mariz Cortiñas, Senior Analyst and Sustainability Lead at Ishka: Aviation Finance, in our Insights 2025 report to learn why Europe’s path to large‑scale e‑SAF is technically feasible — but politically complex.

📄 Download impact’s “Insights 2025” report here.

#SustainableAviation #SustainableFinance #AviationFinance #GreenHydrogen #AviationSustainability #NetZero #SustainableInvestment #RenewableEnergy #SustainableAviationFuel

New report: impact’s “Insights 2025” released!

Our mid-year report “impact – Insights 2025” is out! Enjoy an insightful read of articles, interviews and updates dealing with the trending topics in aviation sustainability!

🔗Download our “Insights 2025” report here!

This year’s edition of impact – Insights covers the full spectrum of challenges and innovations shaping aviation’s path to Net Zero. From SAF supply to financing, emissions to regulation—we break down the real forces reshaping our industry.

What’s inside?

🛢️ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

How a leasing company’s bold move into SAF production challenges the traditional role of lessors—outlier or visionary?

Why the EU’s Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) could be pivotal to unlocking e-SAF offtakes

What a detailed cost analysis reveals about compliance with ReFuelEU: “too expensive” isn’t the whole story

📈 Emissions Trends

Aviation’s CO₂ emissions are now above 2019 levels—why efficiency alone isn’t enough

Why airlines are still flying older, fuel-hungry twin-aisle aircraft—and what’s holding back fleet renewal

Will the EU’s 20 million “free SAF allowances” meaningfully accelerate green fuel adoption?

🏗️ Finance & KPIs

How airport sustainable finance is evolving to include aircraft emissions KPIs and Scope 3 targets

We spotlight easyJet’s decarbonization strategy, bridging delivery gaps and transition challenges

🎤 Special features include
✨ Highlights from the ISTAT / impact Sustainability Symposium and
🚀 The Sustainable Aero Festival, where emerging tech, regulation, and business models converge

Expert insights from our member-exclusive talks, reflecting the complexity and interdependence of aviation’s transition

The aviation transition is multi-layered, fast-moving, and interconnected—and impact – Insights 2025 is your guide to staying ahead of it.

impact speaks to… Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sustainability at easyJet

From transition to delivery: Lahiru Ranasinghe on steering easyJet’s decarbonization effort

impact sat down with Lahiru Ranasinghe, easyJet’s recently-promoted Director of Sustainability, who shared how the airline is shifting gear — from long-term planning to delivering tangible progress on its path toward Net Zero. Having led the development of easyJet’s Net Zero strategy, Lahiru now oversees delivery across all sustainability fronts — from flight operations and engineering to ground activities. The airlines’ aim is to build internal capabilities to progressively reduce its’ environmental impact.

🌍 With aircraft delivery delays still impacting the sector, easyJet continues to prioritize fuel-saving operational efficiencies across Europe, one of the world’s most complex airspace environments. But there’s a limit to what airlines can do alone — airspace modernization across Europe is essential to unlock 10% emissions reductions industry-wide.

🚀 Scaling SAF and Supporting Innovation
easyJet is actively meeting SAF mandates across its 30+ European bases, while also pushing for progress on eSAF policy as part of Project SkyPower. Long-term, the airline sees hydrogen as the only viable route to truly zero-carbon flight for its short-haul network — and is backing its development accordingly.

📉 Tracking emissions reduction
The airline uses emissions intensity (CO2 per RTK) as its main progress metric. easyJet also closely monitors peers’ sustainability efforts to benchmark its own, but sees the journey to Net Zero as an industry-wide challenge that requires collective progress.

💬 “We cannot afford to be one of the few heavy emitters left in the world when we get into the 2040s and 2050s,” Lahiru notes. “There’s a lot at stake.”

Stay tuned to read the whole article in impact’s “Insights 2025” to be published on July 14!

impact’s mid-year report “Insights 2025” to be published soon!

We have the pleasure to announce that our mid-year report, the impact Insights 2025, will be published on Monday, July 14!

This upcoming edition will update you on the latest topics and trends in aviation sustainability. Prepare for an insightful read as the “Insights 2025” will feature interviews with high-level industry experts, articles by distinguished guest authors and the latest news on impact’s activities. Stay tuned!

ATOBA energy on impact’s latest Members’ Call: What’s holding back the SAF market — and how can we unlock it?

During our recent IMPACT on sustainable aviation members call, Arnaud Namer, CEO and co-founder of ATOBA energy, shared his vision for solving the financial roadblocks in sustainable aviation fuel production.

With 25 years in aerospace and decarbonization, Arnaud brings deep experience to a complex challenge: Producers need financial certainty and airlines need affordable, competitive SAF. But with over 250 SAF projects proposed, a patchy and/or unstable policy landscape, few players can afford the due diligence or risk exposure required.

Enter Atoba Energy’s aggregation model:

Pools long-term offtake from multiple producers & airlines
Spreads risk across feedstocks, technologies, and timeframes
Offers indexed pricing (via General Index) for transparency and thus addresses airlines‘ concerns about competitive disadvantage
Helps secure ROI for producers, and competitive SAF for airlines

Aggregation isn’t just a financial tool — it’s a strategic lever for scaling SAF and managing transition risks across the value chain.

Thanks to Arnaud for unpacking ATOBA‘s approach — and showing how financial structuring can accelerate aviation’s path to Net Zero.