2024 U.S. National Action Plan for the Aviation Industry Released

Figure 1: SAP-MAP2024 (Green indicates countries and regions that have already submitted State Action Plans [SAPs]. China submitted its '2022 Policy and Actions for Green Development of Civil Aviation' to ICAO in 2022, comprehensively introducing to the international community China’s practical experience in carbon reduction within its civil aviation sector and showcasing achievements in green transformation.) 2024 U.S. National Action Plan for the Aviation Industry The 2024 U.S. National Action Plan for the Aviation Industry (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”) unfolds in two main parts: first, a summary of net-zero progress achieved under the 2021 SAP framework; and second, an outlook on civil aviation emission reductions and technological development over the next three years. The Plan states that civilian aircraft R&D is led by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA, with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) expected to further advance such efforts post-2050. It also notes that R&D conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) may be applicable to civilian aircraft and could complement and enhance civil aviation development. The Plan emphasizes that nationally supported technological pathways will balance economic viability and sustainability—projects must reduce both capital investment and operational costs while improving overall economic returns. The Plan identifies the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a top priority for aviation climate action. Through interagency coordination, the federal government has designed economic incentives—including SAF tax credits and investment credits—to help narrow the cost gap between SAF and conventional petroleum-based jet fuel. This aligns with the objectives of the Biden administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which supports tax credits for SAF and clean fuel production to boost consumer purchasing power and use policy levers to meet the aviation industry’s high-standard emission-reduction goals. The FAA supports fuel safety testing, analyzes SAF’s economics and environmental impacts, assesses its potential production capacity, and coordinates funding from civil aviation stakeholders, federal agencies, and the international community to build a more economically viable SAF industry. The Plan highlights the FAA-led FAST (Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition) initiative, aimed at investing in SAF production and utilization, as well as developing low-emission aviation technologies. In August last year, the FAST program awarded grants totaling $291 million to 36 SAF and technology projects across 23 states (Figure 2). Of these, 22 projects—focused on SAF supply chain research and production infrastructure—received nearly $245 million; the remaining $46.5 million funded 14 technology projects developing low-emission aviation technologies and related testing capabilities. In the figure below, green markers indicate SAF-funded projects and blue markers denote technology projects, illustrating their geographic distribution across the United States. Figure 2: Projects Funded Under the U.S. FAST Program Another FAA-led initiative is the CLEEN (Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise) Program—a public-private partnership supported by the ASCENT (Aviation Sustainability Center), aiming to develop certifiable aircraft and engine technologies. Phase III outcomes will undergo ground and flight demonstrations in 2026 and be integrated into next-generation engines and aircraft products during the 2030s. Phase IV will launch in 2025, fostering new five-year collaborative efforts among U.S. aviation industry institutions and enterprises.

Although U.S. climate policy has regressed, has Sino-U.S. low-carbon cooperation grown even closer?

Although Sino-U.S. decarbonization cooperation has been affected by U.S. executive orders, American companies’ climate ambitions remain undiminished. In fact, commercial logic—not policy momentum—is emerging as the true driver behind Sino-U.S. decarbonization collaboration. Trump may withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but U.S. corporations like Apple, NVIDIA, and Boeing cannot rescind their self-imposed carbon targets. As the core of the global supply chain and a critical large market, China—and Chinese enterprises in particular—represent the optimal partners for U.S. firms striving to meet their decarbonization goals. Of the 17 U.S. companies accompanying the delegation, the majority have already set carbon targets, and seven have had those targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). In the first half of 2026, over one hundred U.S. companies—including globally renowned names such as Whirlpool, FedEx, and Boston Scientific—updated their SBTi-validated carbon targets. Below are three representative cases of low-carbon collaboration between Chinese and U.S. enterprises: Apple: A Supply-Chain-Driven Decarbonization Model Apple has pledged carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2030—a goal impossible without China’s ‘Apple supply chain’ (‘Guo Lian’): of Apple’s 187 core suppliers, 157 operate manufacturing facilities in mainland China. Apple requires its direct suppliers to source 100% renewable electricity for production by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality for emissions associated with Apple products. Leading ‘Guo Lian’ enterprises—including Luxshare Precision, Lens Technology, and Lingyi Intelligent Manufacturing—have already disclosed carbon-related data. This order-driven, supply-chain-embedded decarbonization pathway will crystallize into China’s own hard-edge low-carbon capabilities within its manufacturing sector. Boeing and GE Aerospace: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and China’s Role in Aviation Decarbonization Aviation is widely regarded as one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, and SAF stands out as arguably the best solution. Both Boeing and GE Aerospace identify SAF as the single greatest opportunity for aviation-sector decarbonization over the next thirty years and have committed to achieving full 100% SAF compatibility by 2030.

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Gevo Inc. withdrew its US Department of Energy loan application for its North Dakota sustainable aviation fuel project. The company is now seeking alternative financing to fund the initiative.

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