The ATAG 2025 General Assembly took place in May in Washington, D.C., and was kindly hosted by Airlines for America. Haldane’s welcome address summarised ATAG’s mission and current focus: to provide coordinated action on our climate commitments, secure the energy future and coordinate aviation’s voice on sustainability through this year’s milestones. These milestones include the ICAO Assembly/42 and the UNFCCC COP30 meeting. Haldane also mentioned that ATAG plays a role in ensuring that the value aviation brings in terms of connectivity and economic development is not undermined by the imposition of new taxes and charges.
There were two guest speakers at the meeting: Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO and Charles Schlumberger, Lead Air Transport Specialist of the World Bank Group. The Secretary General acknowledged and thanked ATAG and its members for their support through the provision of technical, economic and policy expertise for all of the goals that ICAO pursues. He referenced in particular the Finvest Hub, which ATAG had been involved in setting up. The importance of the ATAG / ICAO partnership was underlined, to enable aviation to grow in a sustainable way.
In addition, the Secretary General stressed the value of ATAG’s Aviation: Benefits Beyond Borders work and the powerful message that it conveys, particularly in discussions with decision makers and country leaders.
Charles Schlumberger provided a briefing on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, which will start in 2026 and run until 2035.