Guiding Aviation Through the Climate Transition

17 December 2025

An interview with Tiago Ludgero, Aviation Sustainability Expert and JAA TO Qualified Instructor.

On the backdrop of the European Green Deal¹, organisations across the sector are recognising a growing need for specialised training that goes beyond environmental awareness but delivers concrete, operational capability to respond to an intricate regulatory framework. The shift towards Net Zero is influencing decision-making for airlines, airports, manufacturers, regulators, and service providers, while demanding a new level of regulatory literacy and strategic foresight from aviation professionals.

Leading Aviation Sustainability following ICAO and EASA Standards

In response to this evolving landscape, JAA TO has developed a new training course, Leading Aviation Sustainability: ICAO and EASA Standards, designed to help industry professionals navigate the climate transition with confidence. To understand why such training is now essential – and what competencies will define sustainable aviation in the decades ahead – we spoke with Tiago Ludgero, Faculty Manager at JAA TO and Subject-Matter-Expert in sustainable air transport.

Question: What are the main objectives of the training, and how will it help aviation professionals navigate the climate transition?

Tiago Ludgero: “The training was developed to give professionals the ability to interpret and operationalise ICAO, EASA and EU environmental regulations in a way that directly informs both operational and strategic decision-making. We see many organisations struggling to connect regulatory requirements with measurable environmental performance. This course is intended to bridge that gap. By focusing on evidence-based tools, emissions assessment, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) integration and the development of climate-resilient strategies, the course helps participants navigate the transition using methods that are scientifically grounded and fully aligned with global Net Zero objectives.”

Q: Which regulatory frameworks form the backbone of the training, and why are they so crucial?

TL: “The course is structured around the most influential frameworks defining the future of the sector: ICAO Annex 16, CORSIA, EU ETS, ReFuelEU Aviation, ICAO Doc 9501, the European Climate Law, the European Green Deal, and the environmental pillar of EASA’s EPAS. We selected these because they represent the regulatory framework within which aviation must operate. They dictate compliance requirements, guide investment strategies, and shape long-term decarbonisation trajectories for organisations worldwide. Understanding these frameworks is no longer optional - it has become a core professional competency.”

Q: How do you ensure that complex regulations can be translated into practical application during the course?

TL: “One of the strongest elements of this course is its focus on real implementation. Sustainability in aviation cannot remain theoretical; it has to be embedded in day-to-day operations. During the training, participants learn how to carry out carbon assessments, evaluate the lifecycle emissions of SAF, work with compliance frameworks, and integrate sustainability into safety and performance-based oversight. They also work hands-on with environmental indicators and climate-risk approaches. Everything we teach is meant to be applied immediately. The goal is to enable participants to move from policy interpretation to operational execution and to do so confidently and consistently.”

Q: Aviation sustainability involves many different stakeholders. How does the course address this diversity?

TL: “The course was designed deliberately for a cross-sector audience because sustainability requires collaboration across the entire aviation ecosystem. Airlines, Airports, Manufacturers, Regulators, NGOs - each group faces different pressures and opportunities, but all contribute to the sector’s environmental performance. By presenting integrated perspectives, the course helps participants understand not only their own responsibilities but how their actions affect others. We explore how SAF procurement influences airports, how airport infrastructure affects airline strategy, how regulatory decisions influence design and innovation, and how all these elements must align for a credible Net Zero pathway. That systems thinking is one of the course’s greatest strengths.”

Q: The course applies a CBTA approach. What practical competencies does this give participants?

TL: Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) approach ensures that the knowledge gained is operational, measurable, and directly relevant to the industry’s needs. Participants develop the ability to interpret environmental regulation accurately, lead emissions reporting under EU ETS and CORSIA, understand SAF from a technical and regulatory standpoint, and apply operational optimisation measures. Just as importantly, they build the leadership and communication skills required to drive sustainability initiatives inside their organisations. The CBTA structure guarantees that participants leave with capabilities -not merely concepts.”

Q: What climate-resilient strategies will shape aviation’s future, and how does the course support them?

TL: “We are moving into a technological and regulatory era that demands alignment across multiple fronts. Sustainable Aviation Fuel remains the cornerstone of near-term decarbonisation, and its adoption requires careful planning, lifecycle understanding, and strategic procurement, all of which are explored in the course. Operational efficiency, modernised airspace, airport electrification, renewable energy systems, eco-design, future propulsion technologies, and climate-risk adaptation will all play essential roles in the decades ahead. Throughout the course, we help participants not just understand these strategies, but integrate them meaningfully into their organisation’s long-term planning. A major outcome of the training is that participants can develop credible five-year sustainability roadmaps aligned with ICAO LTAG and EU climate objectives.”

A Course Designed for a New Era of Aviation

The climate transition represents a structural shift for the aviation sector – one that demands new skills, new understanding, and new forms of cross-industry cooperation, see ICAO’s Strategic Plan 2026-2050² and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)³

The Leading Aviation Sustainability: ICAO and EASA Standards course has been developed precisely in response to this reality. Its purpose is to empower professionals with the regulatory insight, analytical tools, and practical competencies needed to guide their organisations through the next decades of environmental transformation.

Learn more about the Leading Aviation Sustainability: ICAO and EASA Standards

Tiago Ludgero - JAA TO Faculty Manager and Subject Matter Expert Professor in ITAéra for MSc Sustainable Air Transport Management Owner AviaXperts Solutions Aviation Consultant & Auditor. An experienced manager with extensive responsibility across operational and training environments, including Ground Operations, 17 airports, Operations Departments, and Training Departments with instructor teams. The role also involved participation in key strategic projects aimed at process optimisation and efficiency improvement.Managerial activities focused on implementing solutions that enhanced team performance and organisational workflows, resulting in increased productivity, cost reduction, and improved operational outcomes. Strong interpersonal capabilities enabled effective collaboration with teams, stakeholders, and external partners. A significant part of the role included supporting the development of junior staff through mentoring and targeted guidance. Experience gained across different countries and operational contexts provides added value to organisations seeking a mature, results-oriented approach to management.

Tiago Ludgero

About JAA TO ✈️

The JAA Training Organisation (JAA TO) is a Dutch non-profit, self-financing organisation and the Associated Body of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). JAA TO has a history of 50+ years training the aviation industry and national authorities on regulation in the air transport sector. JAA TO is the only Platinum Training Centre of Excellence (TCE) in Europe recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). JAA TO is an IATA Dangerous Goods CBTA Centre of Excellence, an ACI World Accredited Training Partner, recognized Dutch National Aviation Security Training Centre and a leading member of the EASA Virtual Academy (EVA).

JAA TO schedules more than 300 training courses annually on topics such as safety, security, drones and management. Within the aviation community, JAA TO offers a platform to learn and exchange views on latest regulatory developments. In addition, JAA TO provides advisory services, knowledge solutions, training consultancy and assistance with capacity building for (aviation) training departments.

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Dorothy Uslu

Corporate Communications Representative at JAA Training Organisation

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Email: kschreiber@jaato.com
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