Recently, the 2022 China Civil Aviation Green Development Policy and Action (hereinafter referred to as the action plan) has been officially submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This action plan aims to introduce green development actions and progress of China's civil aviation, share China's civil aviation practices and experience, and enhance the mutual understanding of the international community. It also looks into the future and identifies the direction of civil aviation green development and the major actions needed to achieve green development.

Data in the action plan show that in 2019, China's civil aviation fuel consumption per ton kilometer was 0.285 kg, and the energy consumption and CO2 emissions per passenger at airports decreased by about 15.8% and 43.2%, respectively, compared with the average level at the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan Period (2013-2015). In 2021, the total transportation turnover, passenger traffic and cargo and mail traffic of China's civil aviation reached 85.67 billion ton kilometers, 440 million passengers and 7.31 million tons respectively. In 2021, fuel consumption of China's civil aviation per ton kilometer was 0.309 kg, with accumulative reduction of 400million tons of CO2 emissions compared with 2000; airport energy consumption per passenger increased by about 2.3% compared with the average level of 2013-2015, and CO2 emissions per passenger decreased by 22.1%.

Through comprehensive measures, China's civil aviation will solidify the foundation of reducing pollution and carbon emissions, continuously improve measures and mechanisms, and enhance the role of scientific and technological innovation. As well, we will, with the integrated development of relevant industries, strive to reduce carbon emissions intensity, accelerate the proportion of low-carbon energy consumption, steadily improve the efficiency of civil aviation resources utilization, and contribute more Chinese practices to the global low-carbon development of civil aviation. The main goals listed in the action plan include reaching 0.293 kg Jetfuel/RTK, 0.886 kg CO2/RTK, and 50 000 tons accumulative consumption of SAF by 2025; building a more mature system of green low-carbon circular development, realizing carbon neutral growth for flight emissions, gradually peaking airport emissions, conducting more international cooperation on green aviation and growing to be an important contributor to global international sustainable aviation by 2035.