Sustainability will be front and center next week at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas. Concurrent with the annual industry showcase, the organization will be holding its annual Business Aviation Sustainability Summit. The summit will feature discussions on progress towards decarbonization, new technologies that promise improvements in carbon emissions, and the policies that—once enacted—could further support aviation as it moves towards its goal of net-zero emissions.

Production and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—which in its neat, unblended form can reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent over conventional jet fuel—have been on the rise. New technologies such as electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered propulsion loom on the horizon. The summit will explore these topics as well as highlight industry efforts to advance them.

On Tuesday, October 17, the opening day of the show, panels will discuss the critical role young professionals play in helping the industry meet its environmental aspirations, as well as the rapid development of advanced air mobility. An invitation-only newsmakers luncheon will examine the future of hybrid and electric flight.

The following day, industry experts will focus on possible industry impacts from environmental policies in Europe and the U.S. Wednesday’s luncheon will feature government and business leaders who will review the industry’s plan for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. A panel in the afternoon will tackle the facts and fallacies of environmental sustainability and how the industry can communicate that perspective.

In addition, the show itself will incorporate sustainability measures. SAF will be available at all three area airports, and organizers have eliminated single-use water bottles in favor of recycled and reusable options. Renewable energy will be used to power the event, and NBAA will purchase verified carbon offset credits to help cover emissions for attendee travel.