Sustainable Skies World Summit | Farnborough International Airshow
Since its inception in 2022, the Sustainable Skies World Summit (SSWS) has emerged as a key event in Farnborough’s Aerospace Calendar. This gathering unites government officials, regulators, airline representatives, OEMs, investors, academia, and media from around the globe to tackle pressing and long-term challenges while devising actionable solutions that propel the sector toward a more sustainable future. The summit serves to advance the industry’s commitments towards achieving Net Zero emissions.
The summit is structured around five essential themes that are crucial for guiding the aerospace industry towards Net Zero:
- Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)
- Carbon Removal
- Zero Emissions
- Operational Efficiency
- Future of Flight
Event Highlights
2025: “Decarbonisation of the entire ecosystem”
The SSWS25 event took place on 14-15 May 2025, featuring over 90 speakers—a remarkable 110% year-on-year increase—and attracting over 1,300 attendees from the international aerospace community. Participants engaged in discussions about strategic insights, practical solutions, and the vital collaborations necessary for cultivating a net-zero future.
New to the 2025 summit was the introduction of a Careers Fair, aimed at equipping students for future employment opportunities while providing the aerospace industry a platform to connect directly with aspiring professionals.
2024: “Radical Collaboration”
At SSWS24, the CEOs of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways emphasized the need for ‘radical collaboration’ among government entities, aviation fuel suppliers, and the broader industry to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. On a panel with Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus, and Brian Moran, Chief Sustainability Officer at Boeing, both Shai Weiss of Virgin Atlantic and Sean Doyle of British Airways discussed the positive initiatives already in place and the increased investment dedicated to sustainable technologies that aim to reduce carbon outputs.
2023: “It’s not about flying less, it’s about flying differently.”
The 2023 edition of the SSWS commenced with a notable flypast from the RAF Voyager ‘Vespina,’ which was powered by a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend and showcased its capability during an air-to-air refueling sortie. Throughout the summit, the Jet Zero Council convened for its 8th meeting, following its launch during the Farnborough International Airshow. Additionally, Sustainable Aviation presented its revised Net Zero Carbon Road-Map.
