Thinking about a career in sustainable aviation? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Sustainable aviation is one of the fastest-moving sectors focused on reducing emissions, but it’s also one of the most acronym-heavy.
Whether you’re joining an airport, airline, policymaker, or sustainability team, understanding this language is key to keeping up and contributing meaningfully.
This guide breaks down the acronyms you’re likely to encounter, grouped into six practical categories. You can think of it as your starter pack for navigating sustainable aviation conversations with confidence.
1. Key organisations and initiatives
- ACI: Airports Council International
- ATAG: Air Transport Action Group
- EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
- EUROCONTROL: European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation
- FAA: Federal Aviation Administration
- IATA: International Air Transport Association
- ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
- ICCT: International Council on Clean Transportation
- IEA: International Energy Agency
- IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- ISCC: International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
- SBTi: Science-Based Targets initiative
- UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
2. Core sustainable aviation terminology
- AIC: Aviation-Induced Cloudiness
- ATJ: Alcohol-to-Jet
- BECCS: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage
- CCS / CCUS: Carbon Capture and Storage / Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage
- CEF: CORSIA Eligible Fuel
- CO₂e: Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
- DAC / DACCS: Direct Air Capture / Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage
- e-SAF: Synthetic SAF / Electro-SAF
- FT-SPK: Fischer–Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene
- GGRs: Greenhouse Gas Removals
- GHG : Greenhouse Gas
- HEFA: Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids
- H₂: Hydrogen
- ILUC: Indirect Land Use Change
- LCA: Life Cycle Assessment
- LCAF: Lower Carbon Aviation Fuel
- Non-CO₂: Non-Carbon-Dioxide Climate Effects
- NOx: Nitrogen Oxides
- PFAS: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
- PM / UFP: Particulate Matter / Ultrafine Particles
- PtL: Power-to-Liquid
- SAF: Sustainable Aviation Fuel
- TtW / TTW: Tank-to-Wake
- WtT / WTT: Well-to-Tank
- WtW / WTW: Well-to-Wake
3. Policy, regulation, and market mechanisms
- Book & Claim: Chain-of-custody accounting model
- CORSIA: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation
- CSRD: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
- ESRS: European Sustainability Reporting Standards
- EU ETS: European Union Emissions Trading System
- Fit for 55: EU climate policy package
- LTAG: Long-Term Global Aspirational Goal for International Aviation
- MBM: Market-Based Measure
- MRV: Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification
- NDC: Nationally Determined Contribution
- Net Zero: Net Zero Emissions
- Paris Agreement: UN climate agreement
- RED / RED III: Renewable Energy Directive
- ReFuelEU Aviation: EU SAF regulation
- RFNBO: Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin
- TCFD: Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
- TNFD: Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
- UK ETS: United Kingdom Emissions Trading Scheme
4. Standards, certification, and accounting
- ASTM D1655: Standard specification for aviation turbine fuels
- ASTM D7566: Aviation turbine fuel specification containing synthesized hydrocarbons
- CoC: Chain of Custody
- EPD: Environmental Product Declaration
- GHGP / GHG Protocol: Greenhouse Gas Protocol
- LCFS: Low Carbon Fuel Standard
- PoS: Proof of Sustainability
- Scope 1: Direct emissions
- Scope 2: Purchased energy emissions
- Scope 3: Value-chain emissions
- SCS: Sustainability Certification Scheme
5. Airports, operations, and infrastructure
- ACA: Airport Carbon Accreditation
- A-CDM: Airport Collaborative Decision Making
- APU: Auxiliary Power Unit
- ATM: Air Traffic Management
- BESS: Battery Energy Storage System
- CDA / CCO: Continuous Descent Approach / Continuous Climb Operations
- EV: Electric Vehicle
- GPU: Ground Power Unit
- GSE: Ground Support Equipment
- HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
- LED: Light-Emitting Diode
- PCA: Pre-Conditioned Air
- PPA: Power Purchase Agreement
- ZEV: Zero-Emission Vehicle
6. Finance, ESG, and sustainability disclosure
- CAPEX: Capital Expenditure
- ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance
- IRR: Internal Rate of Return
- KPI: Key Performance Indicator
- MACC: Marginal Abatement Cost Curve
- NPV: Net Present Value
- OPEX: Operating Expenditure
- SLB: Sustainability-Linked Bond
- SLL: Sustainability-Linked Loan
With these acronyms in hand, you are better equipped to navigate discussions and contribute to the industry’s next steps.