3rd Annual Congress of PACTA Foundation Held in Rome

To revolutionize the aviation sector and turn it from one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise to a model of environmental and economic sustainability: this is the mission at the heart of the 3rd Annual Congress of PACTA Foundation – Pact for the Decarbonisation of Air Transport, held yesterday in Rome.

The event brought together key figures in the sector, such as airlines companies, aircraft manufacturers, airport operators and players, as well as large energy companies, in front of regulatory bodies and institutions; it represented a platform for dialogue and innovation aiming to rewriting the rules of air transport in such a way as to protect the growth of the sector and fully reconcile it with the environment.

The proposals put forward by PACTA Foundation include initiatives to push for the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) – i.e., biofuels that are essential for cutting CO2 emissions without sacrificing the growth of air traffic. These biofuels – produced from waste oils, animal fats and biomass – can reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional fuels, but broader economic support is required for increasing their use.

PACTA Foundation, a unique alliance between 17 industrial, institutional and academic partners, promoted by Aeroporti di Roma, also recently attended COP29 in Baku as a virtuous example of Italian best practice.

The common objective is to reduce emissions from the hard-to-abate sector of aviation – which currently accounts for 2-3% of the total global emissions – and achieve the Net Zero Emissions goal by 2050, positioning Italy as a leader in the sustainable transition of air transport.

PACTA also highlighted the need to support research on new-generation aircraft, whether electric, hydrogen or hybrid – technologies that, in coming decades, will revolutionise regional and medium-haul flights. Measures were also proposed to incentivise investments in green energy, including electrochemical storage systems and the hydrogen and biomethane supply chain for integration into airport and industrial systems.

The Congress also turned the spotlight on the transformation of airports into sustainable hubs through the decarbonisation of operating fleets, the facilitation of energy efficiency measures andthe optimisation of air traffic. Another strategic focus was on intermodality, with proposals to enhance the railway infrastructure that connects airports and develop single tickets combining airand land transport, improving connectivity and reducing mobility-related emissions. The Foundation will offset the CO2 emissions generated by the travels to the Congress of the participants by purchasing SAF for ITA Airways flights, thus reducing emissions by the same amount.

“Decarbonising aviation is not an option, it is a collective responsibility – and PACTA Foundation demonstrates, once again, that it is possible to address it with a systemic approach. Bringing together leading companies, institutions and the academic world, our initiative is a cross-sector partnership – with few equals in the world – that is defining a concrete roadmap for Net Zero. These policy proposals are not theoretical; instead, they represent practical tools designed to support institutions in bridging the gap between ambitions and implementation. The goal is to accelerate a sustainable transition that not only reduces emissions, but also ensures economic growth and positions Italy as a global reference. Flying less is not the solution, and sustainability is not a constraint: it is the key to a fairer future, in which environment and progress are part of the same strategic vision,” Marco Troncone, Chairman of PACTA Foundation and CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, said.

“SAFs are currently the only real viable alternative to achieve effective decarbonisation in accordance with the objectives of Regulation 2023/2405. They still cost more than current fuels,but we trust that common EU policies can also adopt tools like those already adopted by other nations to allow a full use of these fuels, thus avoiding compromising citizens’ right to mobility”declares Deputy Minister Hon. Bignami” declared Hon. Galeazzo Bignami, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport.

“As Chairman of Enac and Chair of PACTA Foundation’s Institutional Committee, I am honoured to open this congress, from which emerges the need for a common commitment in favour of a pragmatic (and non-ideological) approach to decarbonization, also taking into account that Europe is responsible for 6/7% of pollution in the world – and air transport for an absolutely marginal share. First of all, I would like to thank Marco Troncone for the report presented and for his commitment in helping to overcome the ideological prejudice towards the sector, as he also emphasized during COP29 in Baku, where he demonstrated the will of the Italian system to work together, representing a best practice at an international level. A special thanks also to Deputy Minister Bignami, who carefully follows the evolution of environmental policies, also focusing on the fact that sustainability is not only environmental, but also economic and social. The path that we are undertaking – also thanks to ENAC, which represents the union between public and private sector – allows us to engage in fruitful collaborations with other countries, including the emerging ones, through an approach that also guarantees economic and sustainable growth” added Pierluigi Di Palma, President of ENAC and Chair of the PACTA Foundation Institutional Committee.

“Sustainability is one of the fundamental pillars of ITA Airways’ industrial plan: our mission is to be an efficient and innovative airline, fully oriented towards a sustainable future,” Antonino Turicchi, Chairman of ITA Airways, said. “In this direction, since our inception, we have invested in the development of the fleet, which is today the youngest among legacy carriers in Europe, with an average age of 7 years (4.6 years lower than the European average of network carriers, and 2.2 years lower than low-cost carriers). In this context, we regard SAF as an essential element for thedecarbonization of aviation, but we believe that it should be considered as a real investment, rather than just a commodity. This vision requires a systemic and structured approach, in which the public sector – both at national and European level – uses adequate resources and tools to support all the actors who promote the concrete use of SAF. The ability of aviation to concretely reduce carbon emissions and contribute to global climate objectives depends on this investment.”

The four panels of the Congress – on Green Airport, Intermodality and Smart City, Energy and SAF – also included speeches and presentations by: Diego Montemurri, Head of Marsh Advisory Italia; Marco Frey, Full Professor of Economics and Business Management – Sant’Anna University, Pisa; Alfonso Celotto, Chairman of Aeroporti 2030; Davide Bassano, Sustainability Director – Save Group; Marina Bottelli, CEO – Swissport Italia; Edoardo Croci, Director of Sustainable Urban Regeneration Lab and Coordinator of the Green Economy Observatory – Bocconi University; Katia Riva, Chief Sustainability & Transformation Officer – Mundys; Barbara Melotti, Mobility Manager – Aeroporto di Bologna; Fabio Sgroi, Director of Health & Safety – Italo; Valerio Moro Head of Airbus Italia; Eleonora Agostinacchio, Head of Confindustria and Association Participations, Institutional Affairs – Enel; Fabrizio Penna, Head of the Mission Unit Department for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security; Mauro Rotelli, President of the VIII Environment Commission – Chamber of Deputies; David Chiaramonti, Full Professor Department of Energy – Politecnico di Torino; Felice Simonetti, Head of Sustainable B2B Coordination – ENI; Ivan Bassato, Chief Aviation Officer – Aeroporti di Roma; Hon. Laura Cavandoli, Member of the Italian Inter-parliamentary Group for the Decarbonisation of Air Transport; Veronica Pamio, Director General- PACTA Foundation and Senior Vice President for External Relations, Sustainability and Destionation Management, Aeroporti di Roma; Andrea Bassanino, Senior Partner, and Francesco Calvi Parisetti, Partner Italy Roland Berger.

PACTA Foundation is promoted by ADR with the patronage of ENAC, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT); its members include companies and multinational corporations among which are ENI, ITA Airways, Aeroporto di Bologna, Airbus, Aviapartner, Enel, SAVE Group, Mundys, Swissport, Aeroporti 2030, Aviation Services, Boeing, Italo, Marsh, Roland Berger and Snam.

PACTA collects and disseminates scientific knowledge on decarbonisation with the aim to contribute in an independent and transparent manner to the public debate on environmental issues, promoting dialogue between institutions, public and private bodies, companies and associations that operate in the air transport and sustainability sector.