IATA gives consent and welcomes the new decision made by the council of International Civil Aviation (ICAO) to use 2019 as a baseline for the carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation (CORSIA)
ICAO assembly may consider further amendment in 2022 if necessary to address the impacts of covid-19, that way it will ensure a successful implementation of the scheme.
Originally, the CORSIA baseline calculation was agreed to be an average of 2019 and 2020 emissions. The ongoing and unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has seen a drastic drop in demand for air transport compared to 2019. As a result, the CORSIA baseline would have been severely skewed if 2020 emissions were used for the calculation. This does not weaken the impact of CORSIA.
IATA Director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said : “Airlines are committed to carbon neutral growth through CORSIA. Today’s decision to remove 2020 from the baseline calculation marks a pragmatic way forward that maintains the intent, spirit and impact of the CORSIA agreement. And it gives all stakeholders the confidence to focus on successfully delivering CORSIA and achieving our long-term emissions reduction goals, even in this time of crisis,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
“Aviation was the first industry sector in the world for which governments agreed to a global carbon offsetting measure. Airlines know that sustainability is their license to grow. They fully support CORSIA as the single global mechanism for offsetting aviation’s international emissions. Even with the financial hardship facing the industry as a result of COVID-19, the world’s airlines have not lost sight of their emission reduction goals,” said de Juniac.