![Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Carbon_Offsetting_and_Reduction_Scheme_for_International_Aviation.png)
The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a
carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One ton of carbon ...
and
carbon reduction
Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
scheme to lower
CO2 emissions for
international flight
An international flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the departure and the arrival take place in different countries.
Regular international passenger air service began in August 1919 with a flight going from Lond ...
s, to curb the
aviation impact on climate change.
It was developed by the
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sc ...
(ICAO) and adopted in October 2016. Its goal is to have a
carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
growth from 2020.
CORSIA uses
Market-based environmental policy instruments In environmental law and policy, market-based instruments (MBIs) are policy instruments that use markets, price, and other economic variables to provide incentives for polluters to reduce or eliminate negative environmental externalities. MBIs seek ...
to offset CO
2 emissions: aircraft operators have to purchase
carbon credit
A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit a set amount of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas (tCO2e).
Carbon credits and carbon markets are a compo ...
s from the carbon market. Starting in 2021, the scheme is voluntary for all countries until 2027.
Background
The 1997
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus that (part ...
include CO₂ emissions from airports and domestic aviation in its first period (2008–2012), but not international aviation CO₂ emissions or climate effects beyond CO₂. From 2009, Governments agreed to work for the Kyoto Protocol to reduce and to allocate international aviation emissions through the
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sc ...
(ICAO). An agreement was not reached during the 2009
Copenhagen climate conference
The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, was held at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 7 and 18 December. The conference included the 15th session of the Conference of the Parti ...
. Failure to reach an agreement could lead to the average global temperature rising above 2 °C, not
avoiding dangerous climate change
In 2005, an international conference titled Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change: A Scientific Symposium on Stabilisation of Greenhouse Gases examined the link between atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration and global warming and its effects. ...
.
In 2009, the air transport industry targeted a
fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, wh ...
improvement of 1.5% per year until 2020;
carbon-neutral
Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
growth capping CO₂ emissions from 2020; and halving its CO₂ emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
[ In 2010, international flights emitted of carbon dioxide.
]
Adoption
In October 2016, the 191 nations of the ICAO established the scheme, requiring operators to purchase carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One ton of carbon ...
s to cover their emissions above 2020 levels, starting from 2021. Forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
and carbon-reducing activities will be funded by 2% of the sector annual revenues, avoiding "double counting" of existing efforts.[ CORSIA is voluntary until 2027, but many countries, including the US and ]China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, promised to begin from the 2020 start.[ The WWF saw ]carbon credit
A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit a set amount of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas (tCO2e).
Carbon credits and carbon markets are a compo ...
s as credible, but the scheme appears insufficient in the long run while review periods are included.
The agreement does not include an objective of containing global warming to 1.5-2 °C like the 2015 Paris climate agreement
The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and ...
. As emissions below 2020 levels are grandfathered
A grandfather clause, also known as grandfather policy, grandfathering, or grandfathered in, is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from t ...
, CORSIA will regulate 25% of aviation's international emissions. CORSIA applies to international flight
An international flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the departure and the arrival take place in different countries.
Regular international passenger air service began in August 1919 with a flight going from Lond ...
s representing 60% of aviation emissions, and the initial voluntary period includes 65 nations, leaving out Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and perhaps Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. Advocacy group and observer Transport and Environment thinks CORSIA won’t reduce demand for jet fuel, while Greenpeace
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
called it "a timid step in the right direction."
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
s formed the Stay Grounded network in various countries during the 2016 ICAO conference. Fifty organisations including Attac
The Association pour la Taxation des Transactions financières et pour l'Action Citoyenne (''Association for the Taxation of financial Transactions and Citizen's Action'', ATTAC) is an activist organisation originally created to promote the e ...
Europe, Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is an international network of environmental organizations in 73 countries. The organization was founded in 1969 in San Francisco by David Brower, Donald Aitken and Gary Soucie after Brower's split with ...
International, Global Justice Now
Global Justice Now, formerly known as the World Development Movement (WDM), is a membership organisation based in the United Kingdom which campaigns on issues of global justice and development in the Global South.
The organisation produces re ...
, Greenpeace
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
, and the Indigenous Environmental Network
The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a coalition of indigenous, grassroots environmental justice activists, primarily based in the United States. Group members have represented Native American concerns at international events such as ...
, among others, signed a petition against airport expansion. One hundred organisations, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, signed a civil society
Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.[impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the airline industry due to travel restrictions and a decimation in demand among travelers.
Significant reductions in passenger numbers have resulted in flights being cancelled or planes ...]
, the value of 2019 emissions will be used for the pilot phase of the CORSIA implementation from 2021 to 2023.
Implementation
On 15 February 2019, the ICAO announced an agreement on alternative fuels
Alternative fuel, known as non-conventional and advanced fuels, are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels, other than conventional fuels like; ''fossil fuels'' (petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas), as well as nuclear materi ...
to reduce offsets, but details on how to reach the target of halving 2005-level emissions by 2050 remain elusive.[
On 18 February, the ]European Council
The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union. It is composed of the heads of state or government of the EU member states, the President of the E ...
urged the ICAO to implement CORSIA swiftly and to “agree on a long-term goal at its next assembly” in September.[
For the ]Air Transport Action Group
The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) is a coalition of aviation industry experts focusing on sustainable development issues. Its board of directors is composed of senior representatives from trade associations like Airports Council Internation ...
, the ICAO could take three years to negotiate, until 2022.
Fossil fuels produced from newer oil wells, or with some more efficient refinery processing will be eligible. Aviation biofuels from a variety of feedstocks including palm oil, the most likely source and a leading cause of deforestation, would be eligible for use.
;Participation
As of January 2018, more than 70 countries representing more than 85% of international aviation activity have volunteered to participate. India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
are yet to join CORSIA. India, which has four of the five carbon-neutral airports in the Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the part of the world near the western Pacific Ocean. The Asia-Pacific region varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, Russian Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Pacific Isla ...
region and the world's first fully solar powered airport, has drawn attention to "differentiated responsibilities" and the "need to ensure the transfer of financial resources, technology transfer and deployment and capacity building support to developing countries for enabling them to voluntarily undertake action plans.".
;Exemptions
Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries can volunteer to participate in CORSIA, while it is not mandated on them. However, all ICAO member states "with aeroplane operators conducting international flights are required to monitor, report and verify carbon dioxide emissions from these flights every year from 2019". All aeroplane operators with emissions less than or equal to 10,000 tonnes are exempted from the CORSIA reporting requirements.
Emissions from domestic air travel are not included in CORSIA. ICAO states that "Emissions from domestic aviation, as other domestic sources, are addressed under the UNFCCC and calculated as part of the national GHG inventories and are included in national totals (part of the Nationally Determined Contributions
A nationally determined contribution (NDC) or intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) is a non-binding national plan highlighting climate change mitigation, including climate-related targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions. These ...
(NDCs))..."
Criticisms
CORSIA is a market based mechanism to offset emissions: an airline would purchase carbon credit
A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit a set amount of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas (tCO2e).
Carbon credits and carbon markets are a compo ...
s to offset its emissions.
The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport
The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) is a Directorate-General of the European Commission responsible for transport within the European Union.
DG MOVE was created on 17 February 2010 when energy was split from it to form the ...
of the european commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
has described it as "a delicate compromise between all involved in its elaboration."
The scheme may address a significant part of emissions from the expansion of international aviation.
Aviation related emissions are not capped.
Offsetting focuses on emissions trading rather than reducing emissions.
Forest offsets could predominate, but their effectiveness could be reduced by wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
s, drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
s, pests, illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a pro ...
and geopolitical
Geopolitics (from Greek γῆ ''gê'' "earth, land" and πολιτική ''politikḗ'' "politics") is the study of the effects of Earth's geography (human and physical) on politics and international relations. While geopolitics usually refers to ...
dynamics, making it difficult to measure, verify or guarantee carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a carbon pool. Carbon dioxide () is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in land ...
.
Forest offset projects can result in human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
violations.
CORSIA may not be as stringent as the European Union Emission Trading Scheme
The European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a "cap and trade" scheme where a limit is placed on the right to emit specified pollutants over an area and companies can trade emission rights within that area. It covers around 45% of th ...
.
Neste
Neste Oyj (international name: Neste Corporation; former names Neste Oil Corporation and Fortum Oil and Gas Oy) is an oil refining and marketing company located in Espoo, Finland. It produces, refines and markets oil products, provides eng ...
is the largest producer of biofuels from Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, the most mature and economically viable technology for commercial aviation biofuel
An aviation biofuel or bio-jet fuel Note: About">Investable Universe>About' or bio-aviation fuel (BAF) is a biofuel used to power aircraft and is said to be a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) co ...
s, and relies on crude palm oil
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced from ...
and palm fatty acid
In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...
distillate.[ Neste has decided to establish its aviation biofuel production in ]Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, in the largest palm oil producing region, linked to rampant deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
.
Biofuel
Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (E ...
s from palm oil
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced from ...
could emit more CO2 than the replaced fossil fuels, and cause biodiversity loss
Biodiversity loss includes the worldwide extinction of different species, as well as the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat, resulting in a loss of biological diversity. The latter phenomenon can be temporary or permanent, de ...
.
CORSIA would create demand for aviation biofuel
An aviation biofuel or bio-jet fuel Note: About">Investable Universe>About' or bio-aviation fuel (BAF) is a biofuel used to power aircraft and is said to be a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) co ...
.
See also
* Bunkers (energy in transport)
*Carbon neutrality
Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
*Carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One ton of carbon ...
*Environmental impact of aviation
Like other emissions resulting from fossil fuel combustion, aircraft engines produce gases, noise, and particulates, raising environmental concerns over their global effects and their effects on local air quality.
Jet airliners contribute to ...
*Environmental impact of transport
The environmental effects of transport are significant because transport is a major user of energy, and burns most of the world's petroleum. This creates air pollution, including nitrous oxides and particulates, and is a significant contributor ...
*Electric aircraft
An electric aircraft is an aircraft powered by electricity.
Electric aircraft are seen as a way to reduce the environmental effects of aviation, providing zero emissions and quieter flights.
Electricity may be supplied by a variety of methods, ...
* Initial IMO Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships
*Sustainable transport
Sustainable transport refers to ways of transportation that are sustainable in terms of their social and environmental impacts. Components for evaluating sustainability include the particular vehicles used for road, water or air transport; th ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
CORSIA
ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator
Calculator for comparing environmental impacts of various transport options
Aviation and the environment
Bioenergy organizations
Carbon finance
Emissions trading