Singapore Slams Brakes on Climate Levy and Cleaner Fuel Mandate

Singapore has delayed its own plans to introduce the world’s first air passenger levy to fund decarbonization and give airlines a deadline for introducing cleaner fuel.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), explained that the levy, which was meant to be applied to flights booked this April and departing this August, will instead only apply to tickets sold from October 1 this year, for flights departing from January 1, 2027.

Singapore also postponed its requirement for airlines to use at least 1% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The mandate, previously due to begin in 2026, will now take effect in 2027.

“CAAS will defer the implementation of the SAF Levy, in view of the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on airlines and passengers,” the authority said, and Han Kok Juan, CAAS’s director general reaffirmed the commitment to greener aviat