CANSO welcomes agreement at the ICAO Assembly on world-first carbon offset scheme for aviation

The Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA, will put in place carbon offsetting measures first proposed by the air transport industry in 2009. These market-based measures will allow for vital growth within the sector, while mitigating against the associated emissions. Market based measures are the fourth pillar of the aviation industry’s four-pillar strategy to reduce aviation’s climate impact. The other pillars are: investing in new technology; improving operational performance; and developing more efficient infrastructure.    

The aviation sector provides social, commercial and economic benefits; increases connectivity to countries all over the world; and boosts GDP growth. CORSIA, which is planned to start in 2021, is an essential step in ensuring sustainable growth in aviation.  This agreement on CORSIA provides an important stepping stone towards a fully integrated and more environmentally efficient global airspace, and establishes a robust platform for the air traffic management industry to deliver on its environmental commitments.

Speaking at the ICAO Assembly in Montreal, Canada, CANSO Director General, Jeff Poole, said: “CANSO and its Members across the air traffic management industry welcome the decision by States to put in place a carbon offsetting scheme for global aviation. This marks a major milestone towards the fulfilment of the fourth pillar of aviation’s four-pillar strategy to reduce its emissions. CANSO and its Members will continue to focus on pillar two – improving the efficiency of aircraft operations – and pillar three – improving aviation infrastructure.  The air traffic management industry is helping to implement pillar two through procedures that enable aircraft to fly shorter, optimum routes and take-off and land with smoother trajectories, thus reducing emissions. For pillar three, we are working with States to modernise and upgrade the air traffic management system to increase capacity and reduce delays, thus ensuring a smoother experience for passengers, increasing efficiency and enabling greater connectivity and access to markets to boost GDP growth for States.’’

CANSO is working in collaboration with industry partners as part of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) to coordinate steps to tackle the climate change impacts of aviation. CANSO’s strategic framework for air traffic management, Vision 2020, provides an important framework for the delivery of efficient and effective air traffic management. As part of this, CANSO is creating harmonised policies, disseminating best practice and issuing guidance on how the organisations that provide air navigation services can help reduce emissions.