SMBC Aviation Capital at ICAO 2024 LTAG Conference in Montreal

David Swan, COSO and Feargal Purcell, Head of Corporate Affairs this week represented SMBC Aviation Capital at the ICAO* LTAG Stocktaking Conference on reducing CO2 emissions in Aviation at their HQ in Montreal.

David participated in a panel discussion on Thursday 10th October, moderated by Eileen Poh of the ICAO Council and entitled “Financing the aviation cleaner energy transition.”

As part of the event, David delivered a presentation on SMBC Aviation Capital's leadership position on sustainability and ongoing determination to meet the decarbonisation challenge in a way that maintains human connectivity and supports economic growth.

In a subsequent discussion that centred on unlocking the finance necessary to drive investment in SAF research and production, David focused on the following themes:

• All stakeholders in aviation need to align and advocate for the type of structural and strategic change that can deliver clarity and long-term certainty for investors in SAF.
• Regulation needs to act as a catalyst for investment, not an impediment and everyone with a stake in aviation needs to play their part in meeting the sustainability challenge.
• Its only when governments, investors, OEMS, airlines, lessors and all stakeholders align will finance go from being an obstacle to an opportunity.

David and Feargal also had the opportunity to meet with ICAO Secretary General, Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar and other key stakeholders to discuss next steps needed to unlock much needed investment in SAF.

*ICAO: The International Civil Aviation Organisation is an agency of the United Nations.