The Ministry of Civil Aviation has moved to deepen talks with Australia on accessing bulk supplies of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a new strategic push outlined in Fiji’s recently launched 2026–2031 Civil Aviation Master Plan. The decision follows a global industry shift to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint and comes as policymakers acknowledge that long-haul flights will be among the hardest sectors to decarbonise given current limits of hydrogen and battery technologies.
The master plan, launched last month in close collaboration with the Australian government, highlights steps Fiji should take to prepare its aviation sector for emerging international SAF requirements. It recommends the Government of Fiji “progress discussions with the Government of Australia on accessing bulk SAF from Australia,” pointing to opportunities to leverage Australian investments and production capacity rather than building supply from scratch domestically.
Fiji Airways is already pursuing domestic options: the airline has entered a collaborative feasibility study with Fiji Sugar Corporation, Lee Enterprises Consulting and the Asian Development Bank to test SAF production from sugarcane residue as a local feedstock. The master plan cites that kind of industry-led innovation as important, but stresses that international supply arrangements will likely also be needed to ensure reliable, competitively priced volumes for long-haul operations.
The plan also flags growing regulatory pressure overseas that could affect Fiji’s carriers. Singapore has proposed a passenger levy from 2026 to help fund airlines’ transition to SAF, while Japan is expected to move toward requiring departing aircraft to carry at least 10 percent SAF by 2030. The master plan notes these measures will have commercial implications for Fiji Airways and recommends Canberra talks be broadened to address such evolving obligations.
To support both imports and any local production, the report recommends Fiji develop a certification scheme aligned with international standards to verify the emissions reductions claimed for SAF. It calls for a national approach to life‑cycle emissions accounting and transparent verification so Fiji can demonstrate compliance with destination-country rules and access potential market incentives or crediting mechanisms.
Airports are also singled out in the master plan as frontline actors in Fiji’s climate strategy. The document recommends that all airport operators include, within their master plans, clear information on how future development will address climate resilience and align with Fiji’s Paris Agreement commitments and the National Adaptation Plan. It lists priorities including noise mitigation, waste management, decarbonisation measures and disability access, reflecting a broader push to make airport infrastructure more environmentally and socially resilient.
The SAF push also has economic resonance beyond emissions: Fiji imports all of its fuel, a vulnerability that has been highlighted by national watchdogs and policymakers, and SAF—whether produced locally from sugarcane residues or sourced regionally—could help reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. The master plan stops short of prescribing a single path, instead advocating a mix of strengthened international partnerships, domestic feasibility work and regulatory preparation.
The ministry’s next steps, according to the plan, are to intensify discussions with Australian counterparts and to begin designing national certification and airport planning requirements that meet international norms. With the master plan now public, industry stakeholders and development partners such as the Asian Development Bank will be watched closely for how quickly feasible SAF pathways and verification systems can be moved from study to implementation.
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