Central Asia lags in SAF development despite global shift to SAF, IATA says
In Uzbekistan, UZ Daily reported that the development of sustainable aviation fuel in Central Asia is falling behind global trends and requires urgent action from the region’s governments, according to Rizwan Siddiqui, IATA Country Manager for Central Asia.
He emphasized that without government incentives and a regulatory framework, the region risks missing a crucial stage in the global transformation of the aviation industry.
According to Siddiqui, SAF currently accounts for about 0.7% of global aviation fuel — a figure that must rise to 65% by 2050 under the industry’s commitments to achieve net-zero emissions. Achieving this will require $1.5 trillion in investments and the large-scale construction of production facilities.
Siddiqui highlighted the experience of the United States and the European Union, where governments have already implemented support measures for SAF producers. In the U.S., the creation of production capacity was made possible through tax benefits and direct incentives. In the EU, mandatory SAF usage requirements have been introduced: by 2025, European airports must ensure at least 2% of fuel is sustainable. A similar approach is emerging in Asia: Singapore is introducing a flight-distance–based tax, and Malaysia requires airlines to supply a minimum of 1% SAF in refueling operations.
In Central Asia, Siddiqui emphasized, such mechanisms do not yet exist. Kazakhstan is the only country in the region to have joined the global ICAO initiative, CORSIA, which imposes obligations for carbon offsetting. Uzbekistan, he said, continues to study the possibilities of joining, but its regulatory framework is not yet in place. Nonetheless, initial industry initiatives are appearing in Kazakhstan: companies LanzaJet and KazMunayGas are considering building an SAF production facility in Kostanay Region.
The absence of subsidies, investment incentives, and a clear governmental position continues to hinder the development of sustainable fuels in the region. “So far, no Central Asian country has announced either mandates or financial support measures,” Siddiqui noted.
Category: SAF
