Addressing climate change has become an urgent issue across all industries worldwide, and the aviation sector is no exception; it is now regarded as a priority area that requires industry-wide efforts. Although aviation is said to account for a relatively small share of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, it is considered one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, and thus swift action is required. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2023, emissions from the aviation sector accounted for 2.5% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, increasing at a faster pace between 2000 and 2019 than other transport sectors, including rail, road, and maritime. During the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions declined due to reduced demand, but with the recovery of international travel, CO₂ emissions in the aviation sector reached approximately 950 million tons in 2023, over 90% of pre-pandemic levels.１）
In the United States, the government and private sector have also taken steps to address climate change. In 2021, the Biden Administration announced a national target to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50–52% below 2005 levels by 2030,２） and presented a long-term commitment to achieving net-zero GHG emissions economy-wide by 2050.３）
In the aviation sector, the U.S. government released the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan in November 2021,４） which set a goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions in the U.S. aviation sector by 2050 and outlined a whole-of-government framework to achieve that goal. The plan was also submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the U.S. State Action Plan and is to be updated every three years; a revised version was published in 2024. Furthermore, recognizing that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) presents the greatest potential impact toward aviation decarbonization by 2050, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly announced the SAF Grand Challenge５） in September 2021, a comprehensive strategy aimed at scaling up commercial production of SAF.
However, since President Trump took office in January 2025, several policy shifts have occurred, reversing or altering initiatives launched under the Biden Administration. Regarding climate and energy, President Trump, on his first day in office, issued an order to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement,６） declared a national energy emergency,７） and signed an executive order to encourage the development of domestic energy resources such as oil and natural gas.８） In the aviation sector, changes to tax credits for SAF have emerged that may influence decarbonization efforts.
This report reviews U.S. policies and industry initiatives related to aviation and airport decarbonization, examines the effects of the recent administration change, and considers future prospects and implications.