ICAO Adopts Stricter CO2, Noise Standards for New Aircraft

Manufacturers will need to reduce their carbon dioxide and noise footprint to comply with new standards.

Jack Daleo

Friday, March 27, 2026 at 05:15 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 supersonic demonstrator is a prototype of the company’s Overture, which in the future may need to meet ICAO noise limits for subsonic models. [Credit: Boom Supersonic]

Key Takeaways:

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has adopted new, more stringent global standards for aircraft carbon emissions and noise.
From 2031, new aircraft type designs must meet a 10 percent stricter CO2 certification standard, with new deliveries of in-production aircraft facing complex, more stringent limits from 2035.
Harsher noise requirements will be implemented from 2029 for both subsonic and supersonic aircraft, raising the bar by 6 decibels for larger aircraft and 2 decibels for smaller ones.

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The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Friday adopted new, more stringent standards on carbon emissions and noise that could impact a range of American type certification projects.

As of 2031, ICAO will require new aircraft type designs to meet a 10 percent stricter carbon dioxide (CO2) certification standard than the one in effect since 2017. From 2035 on, new deliveries of aircraft in production will also need to meet a “complex, more stringent” emissions standard, categorized by their maximum takeoff mass.