By Mohamed Attia
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the establishment of the Civil Aviation Decarbonisation Organisation (CADO), a new independent body tasked with managing the upcoming global registry for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist, said CADO would oversee the SAF registry as an entity separate from IATA, operating under a global methodology designed to ensure transparency and build trust among stakeholders.
“The creation of CADO supports IATA’s soon-to-be-launched SAF Registry and reflects our commitment to rigorous oversight,” Owens Thomsen said. She called on all relevant parties across the SAF value chain, including governments, to join the organisation and support its mission.
CADO will promote harmonisation across SAF registries by adopting a unified framework, which IATA believes is critical for accelerating the sector’s energy transition.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, described the SAF registry as a vital piece of marketing infrastructure and a cornerstone for creating a robust, global SAF market. “The sector’s commitment to building a credible registry and establishing CADO to manage it is a landmark move.
We hope this leadership inspires governments, fossil fuel producers, and investors to actively participate in scaling up SAF production,” he said.
The initiative forms part of the aviation sector’s broader efforts to curb carbon emissions and achieve net-zero goals, with SAF seen as one of the most promising tools to decarbonise the industry.
