New policy brief proposes harmonized sustainability reporting for the aviation industry

A new policy brief from the Waterloo Climate Institute led by Nesma Hassan and Prof. Amr ElAlfy is calling for a more consistent approach to airline sustainability reporting.

Aviation contributes significantly to climate change, and its emissions could triple by 2050 without stronger mitigation efforts. Airlines are facing growing pressure from regulators, investors, and the public to demonstrate credible sustainability performance, yet current reporting remains inconsistent and incomplete.

This brief reviewed sustainability reports from 40 major airlines and found that while emissions reporting is relatively strong, important social issues — including gender pay equity, forced labour risks, and anti-competitive practices — are often poorly disclosed. It recommends a harmonized reporting framework to make airline sustainability disclosures more consistent, transparent, and comparable.