CORSIA protection must be a key topic at ICAO Air Transport Conference

IATA Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Thomas Reynaert, has stated the association’s aims to raise the protection of CORSIA at the ICAO Air Transport Conference this month.

“We must also protect CORSIA, the only globally agreed market-based measure addressing international aviation emissions. Working Paper 31 urges states to authorize sufficient eligible emissions units to meet demand. The mechanisms and guidance exist; the necessary authorizations must follow. Extending the EU Emissions Trading System beyond Europe would undermine this global approach. Europe should align with CORSIA, not compete with it. Climate change is global, aviation is global, and our response must be global too,” Reynaert stated.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN agency for aviation, adopted the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in 2016. It was the first global market-based measure agreed by an entire industry sector to tackle climate change.

In simple terms, CORSIA sets a ceiling on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from international flights. Airlines can grow beyond that ceiling, but must make up for any emissions above it. They do this by buying and cancelling carbon credits, known as CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units, which pay for emissions reductions elsewhere. To qualify, credits must deliver reductions that are not double counted against other mechanisms and are permanent.

This story was originally published by Air Cargo Week. Read the full story at Air Cargo Week →