ELSA’s submission to ATAG’s report for the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport
As the global aviation sector works toward net-zero carbon emissions, equipping young professionals with the right skills, networks, and opportunities for global collaboration is essential to preparing the next generation of leaders to meet this challenge in the decades ahead.
In this article for ATAG’s report, ‘The role of civil aviation in the UN’s Decade of Sustainable Transport’, ELSA Chair Amy Strang explores why empowering young professionals today is essential to transforming the way we fly tomorrow — and how Emerging Leaders in Sustainable Aviation (ELSA) is helping make that happen.
Enhancing peer learning is one of the focus areas of the UN’s Implementation Plan for the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport. Transforming transport systems requires a wide range of capacities and skills at the level of individuals, institutions, and knowledge systems. With rapid technological change, sustainable transport also requires digital literacy, foresight capacity, and skills in the development and application of emerging technologies.
This holds true for all transportation modes and in particular for the aviation industry. The need to reduce aviation’s impact on climate change is widely recognised as one of the air transport industry’s most critical challenges. Meeting this challenge will demand unprecedented levels of investment and collaboration over long periods of time in order to deliver the solutions needed to transform the way we fly.
Fortunately, the aviation industry is accustomed to thinking long term (the average airliner lifespan is approximately 20 years), which is why the next generation of sustainability professionals in the air transport sector are already taking steps to prepare the industry for future decision making. Those who are at the beginning of their career today will be in leadership roles from the 2040s onward, when the sustainability solutions being proposed and implemented today are expected to scale and lead aviation’s journey towards net zero carbon emissions, through to 2050 and beyond.
If we know decarbonising the industry will require an unprecedented level of collaboration, then these future aviation leaders need to be equipped with the skills, global networks and knowledge to work together and guide the industry through this transition.
In September 2025, under the umbrella of ATAG, the young professionals network Emerging Leaders in Sustainable Aviation (ELSA) was launched at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Innovation Fair in Montréal. Developed by a taskforce of 13 young professionals from across the aviation industry, ELSA is a new global initiative focused on empowering future leaders in air transport to lead the industry’s net zero transition.
Many of these individuals are continuing their support of ELSA through their involvement in the established Executive Committee. As of December 2025, ELSA counted 350 members from all over the world, working towards a common goal of learning, networking and developing the skills needed to take the lead in the years to come.
ELSA’ s mission is to connect the sector’s up-and-coming leaders and young professionals who are passionate about sustainable aviation, giving them a means to connect with one another, share ideas and best practice and access senior leaders from different parts of the industry. The group provides an independent platform for anyone aged 35 and under, passionate about sustainability and aviation, to connect and exchange with peers and established leaders in the sector, through virtual events, networking and thought leadership. Senior leaders in the industry can support the network in sharing their expertise and connect with young professionals.
ELSA’ s first member event took place in November 2025 as a global online webinar. Attendees had the opportunity to hear directly from and ask questions of some of the most influential sustainability decision makers in the aviation industry.