During the discussion on the draft Law on Civil Aviation of Viet Nam (amended), many members of the National Assembly emphasized that if this amendment fails to keep pace with the trend of “green aviation,” Viet Nam may face the risk of falling behind, being subject to carbon taxes, and losing its competitive advantage in the regional skies.
The current draft Law has initially incorporated requirements on environmental protection and greenhouse gas emission reduction, for the first time introducing the concept of “Sustainable Aviation Fuel” (SAF). This is regarded as a step demonstrating a green vision in policymaking.
Deputy Ta Dinh Thi, representative of the National Assembly Delegation of Hanoi, emphasized that aviation serves as both a “transportation lifeline” and one of the sectors most difficult to decarbonize. He noted that, given the rapidly increasing demand for air travel in Viet Nam, if the Law does not establish sufficiently strong obligations and incentives, the Net Zero 2050 commitment will be extremely difficult to achieve.
According to him, introducing concepts and principles into the Law is only the first step; more importantly, political determination must be transformed into specific legal obligations that are measurable, monitorable, and enforceable.
From a policy perspective, Deputy Ta Dinh Thi proposed that the Government be assigned to develop a National Roadmap for the Development and Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), accompanied by mandatory blending ratio milestones that would gradually increase in stages after 2030.
According to the analysis, if the policy remains at the level of mere “encouragement,” enterprises will be reluctant to make major investments in SAF due to market risks. Once the Law specifies a clear roadmap and minimum blending ratios, enterprises will have a basis for forecasting and making long-term investment plans, while the entire industry will be compelled to transition toward greener operations.
In addition, the Deputy also proposed concretizing preferential policies on taxes, credit, and land for activities related to the research, production, import, and infrastructure development of SAF, in connection with the circular economy model.
Deputy Thach Phuoc Binh, representative of the National Assembly Delegation of Vinh Long Province, focused his analysis on solutions related to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). According to him, SAF can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fuels when produced from waste, used cooking oil, agricultural by-products, or recycled CO₂ gas, etc.
However, the greatest current challenge lies in high costs. If airlines are required to use SAF without any supporting mechanisms, ticket prices may increase, and consumers will have to bear the costs of the transition.
Therefore, along with the mandatory roadmap, Deputy Thach Phuoc Binh proposed the introduction of sufficiently attractive incentive policies to encourage domestic enterprises to invest in SAF production, making use of available by-products and waste sources, thereby both reducing emissions and creating new value chains within the circular economy.
The deputies agreed that emission reduction cannot rely on a single solution. In addition to SAF, the aviation sector needs to invest in a new generation of fuel-efficient aircraft; optimize flight operations by shortening routes and reducing waiting time both in the air and on the ground; participate in domestic carbon offset programs; and promote green airport operations through renewable energy, electric ground vehicles, and the reduction of single-use plastics.
At the same time, the sector must advance digital transformation, applying big data and artificial intelligence in management and operations. Every minute of reduced waiting time and every optimized flight not only saves costs but also significantly cuts the amount of fuel wasted through unnecessary burning.
In his concluding remarks at the discussion session on the draft Law on Civil Aviation of Viet Nam, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai acknowledged that the discussions were lively, constructive, and largely consistent with many contents of the draft Law. He requested the drafting agency and the verifying agency to fully consider and incorporate the opinions to finalize the draft Law, thereby establishing a solid legal framework for the aviation sector to proactively implement the Net Zero 2050 commitment.
It can be said that the amended Law on Civil Aviation is expected to play the role of a “conductor,” harmonizing green finance policies, the clean fuel industry, digital technology, and the circular economy.
If the provisions on emission reduction remain at a general-principle level, lacking specific targets and enforcement tools, the Net Zero 2050 commitment will be difficult to realize. Conversely, a clear and forward-looking legal framework will build confidence among enterprises, localities, and citizens to join hands on the “flight path” toward green and sustainable development.
Five challenges for the aviation sector to achieve Net Zero 2050
- High transition costs, as the sector must invest in a new aircraft fleet, modern air traffic management systems, and SAF supply infrastructure - all requiring substantial capital resources.
- he current price of SAF is higher than that of conventional fuel; global supply remains limited, which could exert upward pressure on airfares and operational costs for airlines.
- Airport infrastructure is not yet comprehensively “green”; terminals, ground equipment, and logistics systems still depend heavily on fossil energy, reducing the overall effectiveness of emission reduction efforts.
- The legal framework and incentive mechanisms remain nascent; regulations on mandatory roadmaps, SAF incentives, and carbon offset mechanisms are still under development and must be sufficiently clear and stable to give enterprises confidence in long-term investment.
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