Singapore Sets Up Centre to Advance Sustainable Aviation in the Asia Pacific Region
10 July 2025
CAAS, Airbus, Boeing, Chevron, ExxonMobil, GenZero, IATA, Neste and new Centre sign MOU to support Asia Pacific States in sustainable aviation
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has set up the Asia Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre (APSAC) to advance sustainable aviation in the Asia-Pacific region through policy research, collaboration and capacity building. Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS chairs the Centre’s Board. Mr Philip Goh has been appointed as the founding Chief Executive Officer (see Annex A for Mr Goh’s curriculum vitae). An Advisory Council comprising senior executives from key partners in the aviation, energy and green financing sectors, namely Airbus, Boeing, Chevron, ExxonMobil, GenZero, International Air Transport Association and Neste, has been set up to guide and direct the Centre in its work (see Annex B for its composition and Annex C for quotes from its members).
2 On 14 July 2025, CAAS, the Advisory Council partners and the Asia Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalise their collaboration to advance sustainable aviation through the Centre. The signing will take place at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium which will see the Secretaries-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO), Transport Ministers, senior officials and industry leaders from around the world gather in Singapore to discuss opportunities and challenges in a new global operating environment. On the same day, CAAS, the Advisory Council Members and the Centre will also engage the ICAO Secretary-General, Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, and over 20 Directors-General of Civil Aviation from the Asia-Pacific region in a Roundtable on Advancing Sustainable Aviation. The Roundtable will discuss the sustainable aviation priorities and plans of Asia-Pacific States and civil aviation authorities and how the Centre could support them.
3 Air travel demand in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow strongly and triple over the next 20 years, enabling economic development and supporting the aspirations of a rising middle-class to travel. At the same time, Asia-Pacific States are committed to climate action as an existential challenge and in support of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) global Long-term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of net zero carbon emissions for international aviation by 2050.
4 The APSAC is set up to help Asia-Pacific States advance sustainable aviation in a pragmatic way that would achieve both development and sustainability goals. It will:
(i) Undertake policy research in areas such as cleaner aviation fuels, carbon accounting, and carbon market development & green financing;
(ii) Facilitate collaboration across governments, industry and academia for joint studies and projects to advance sustainable aviation policies and plans for the Asia-Pacific region; and
(iii) Drive capability-building among governments and companies through technical assistance and training in areas of sustainable aviation policy development and implementation.
5 The APSAC will pursue four immediate priorities in its first year. First, it will engage Asia-Pacific States and civil aviation authorities on their needs and plans for sustainable aviation and understand how it can support them. Second, it will engage private sector and academia partners to bring together expertise and resources to help support sustainable aviation efforts in the region. In this regard, the Advisory Council members will provide invaluable links to the wider sustainable aviation ecosystem through their respective networks. Third, it will start joint projects, studies and trials with partners to support sustainable aviation policies for the region. Fourth, it will curate and run capacity-building programmes and conferences. The programmes will equip aviation professionals with the requisite knowledge to drive sustainability initiatives within their respective organisations while the conferences will bring stakeholders together to form collaborative partnerships to advance sustainable aviation.
6 Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS and Chairman of APSAC said, “Asia Pacific States want both growth and sustainability, not one at the expense of the other. The new Centre answers the “how” question and seeks to provide individual States a menu of policy options and instruments to advance their aviation sustainability goals taking into account their respective national circumstances. I am delighted to have Mr Philip Goh as the founding CEO and heartened by the strong support of our Advisory Council partners and the organisations they represent. Their active participation is testament to their commitment to sustainable aviation and belief in the value such a Centre can bring to making sustainable aviation a reality in the Asia Pacific region.”
7 Mr Philip Goh, Chief Executive Officer of the APSAC said: “It is an honour to have been appointed to lead this new organisation. Aviation sustainability is an urgent priority, and I look forward to building up partnerships to work on regional projects and capacity-building programmes, that can deliver tangible and meaningful outcomes for Asia-Pacific States.”
Annex A – Curriculum Vitae of Mr Philip Goh, Chief Executive Officer, APSAC
Annex B – Composition of the APSAC Advisory Council
Annex C – Quotes from APSAC Advisory Council Members
About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation. For more information, visit www.caas.gov.sg.
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