Global aviation sustainability annual survey – optimism (%) FIGURE 1 Source: World Economic Forum, survey of aviation C-suite executives, December 2025/January 2026 . Very optimistic Somewhat optimistic Neutral Somewhat pessimistic Very pessimistic0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%Looking ahead at 2026, how optimistic ar e you that the aviation sector will make meaningful pr ogress towar ds decarbonization? There are several key trends backing an optimistic outlook for progress in decarbonizing aviation during 2026: Positive policy and market developments Industry leaders anticipate positive moves in policy and market developments across several regions, especially Asia-Pacific, mainland China and, with some caveats, Europe. In contrast to mounting concerns around the global fragmentation of multilateral cooperation affecting several industries and wider climate change negotiations, the aviation industry has seen continuous collaboration via ICAO, which has ensured that the sector’s current climate ambitions and net-zero goals have been maintained without backtracking. Growing importance of energy security The increasingly prominent issue of energy security in political agendas is expected to have positive consequences on the development of local and regional markets for SAF, including in the US. This is because governments and supply chains are ramping up diversification efforts in energy procurement, such as through lowering their dependence on oil and fuel imports. The opportunities of economic growth This is happening at a time of industry growth, as more and more regions are looking to boost their aviation industries via passenger and cargo volumes, which both reached new records in 2025. Across regions, governments have approved airport expansion plans, as long as they include a greater reliance on SAF and include sustainability in their growth projections. Confidence in new SAF pathways Respondents expressed confidence in further technological development, maturity and adoption of a wider array of promising sustainable aviation solutions beyond HEFA,3 such as carbon removals, waste circularity, and analytical tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to quantify and optimize emissions along the entire value chain.1.3 Drivers of optimism The aviation industry has seen continuous collaboration via ICAO, ensuring that the sector’s current climate ambitions and net-zero goals have been maintained without backtracking. Global Aviation Sustainability Outlook 2026 10