Mobilising sustainable finance for aviation with EUROCONTROL's FlyingGreen

A recent update to EUROCONTROL's FlyingGreen platform of sustainability services has made available two exciting sustainable finance tools: the brand-new Funding Booster is particularly relevant for regional airlines and airports as well as small-and medium-sized enterprises to find ways for sustainable private funding in aviation; a sustainable finance dashboard provides an overview of recent transactions in aviation.

The tools are freely available under the DecarbFin pillar of the platform and together with other state-of-the- art services provide clear guidance on funding options, regulatory compliance, and strategic financing decisions. Working closely with EUROCONTROL, Antoine Toulemont from the European Regions Airline Association knows exactly the challenges regional airlines are facing with regards to the investment in sustainability. When introduced to the Flying Green platform he was impressed by the functionalities it can offer.

• Identify relevant EU funding opportunities tailored to sustainability initiatives.
• Prepare project financing strategies to engage with private financial partners.
• Enhance ESG reporting by aligning with the latest EU regulatory frameworks and learning from industry best practices.

• A regional airline subject to EU Taxonomy opens the Bluebook to check the exact steps to be taken for assessing eligibility and alignment with EU Taxonomy.
• An Air Navigation Service Provider who prepares for their CSRD and Double Materiality compliance consults the proposed approach and collects best practices in the Bluebook.
• An OEM looking for EU funding to support new technologies, or to accelerate testing and upscaling of Zero Emission Aircraft manufacturing, launches a search for funds in Fund PathFinder.
• An airport operator intending to finance their climate adaptation plan by leveraging sustainable finance opportunities consults Funding Booster to assess the pros and cons of various instruments, and checks examples of transactions from peers.

The latest release introduces significant advancements to help stakeholders navigate sustainable finance more efficiently:

• Funding Booster is live! A new tool to search and match sustainable finance options with aviation decarbonisation projects; guidance on ESG frameworks to enhance transparency and regulatory compliance; a structured repository of aviation decarbonisation roadmaps helping users align projects with sustainable strategies.
• Enhanced sustainable finance dashboard: Provides insights into market trends, sustainable finance transactions and industry benchmarks; displays financing trends based on key sustainability indicators such as CO2 reductions, SAF adoption, and Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) policies.

The evolving regulatory landscape will significantly impact aviation finance, and DecarbFin will continue to provide relevant insights and tools to support stakeholders:

• Omnibus Regulation updates: A new version of the BlueBook will reflect the changes in EU Taxonomy and CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive); regulatory adaptation guidance will be shared with aviation stakeholders to ease compliance challenges.
• Industry Best Practices and Case Studies: Inclusion of a series of real-world reporting examples to be published as part of a Lite version of the BlueBook, featuring best practices from leading aviation organisations.
• Further strengthening of DecarbFin services: New features and expanded content will continue to be developed to meet stakeholders' needs; community dialogue and expert discussions will shape future DecarbFin enhancements, particularly in response to evolving EU regulations and sustainable finance frameworks.
• FundPathfinder & Funding Booster improvements: New functionality allowing users to select, save, and export selected funds, calls, and financial instruments in Word format; facilitates internal alignment and funding discussions with management.