Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA):
With just over two months remaining before CORSIA’s mandatory phase kicks in, India is yet to finalise a comprehensive national Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) policy.
- Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a global market-based mechanism to reduce carbon emissions from international flights.
- It was adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2016.
- It is the first global market-based measure for any industry sector.
- Under CORSIA, airlines compensate for their international flight’s CO₂ emissions by purchasing carbon offsets.
- A carbon offset is a credit for carbon reductions made by one party that can be purchased to compensate for the emissions generated by another party.
- Under CORSIA, airlines operating international flights between participating states must monitor, report, and verify (MRV) their CO₂ emissions, and purchase eligible emissions units (“offsets”) to compensate for growth in emissions above an established baseline.
- Originally the baseline was set as the average of 2019 and 2020 emissions, but in 2020 the ICAO Council adjusted the baseline to 2019-only levels to prevent the COVID-19 collapse in air travel from making the scheme unduly stringent.
- CORSIA only applies to international flights. Domestic emissions fall under the scope of the UNFCCC and are covered by the Paris Agreement.
- The scheme runs in phases:
- A pilot phase (2021–2023) and first phase (2024–2026), both voluntary, in which roughly 120+ states have volunteered.
- A mandatory phase (2027-2035), covering all ICAO member states except those exempted (least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries, and states with very small shares of international aviation activity).
- Compliance reports covering 2024‑2026 emissions are due to national authorities by 31 January 2028.
- There are several ways to achieve CO₂ reductions that can be used as offsets, many of which bring other social, environmental, or economic benefits relevant to sustainable development.
- Such offsets can be sourced from various types of activities, including, for example, the deployment of renewable energy, clean cooking technologies, methane capture, forestry, and other emissions-reducing projects.
- To ensure the environmental integrity of CORSIA, the ICAO Council periodically approves a list of programs that can supply CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs) to be used for compliance.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO):
- ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency, established in 1944 by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944), known as the Chicago Convention.
- It is dedicated to developing safe and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes.
- Member countries: It consists of 193 Member States
- Headquarters: Montreal, Canada.
- Governance:
- ICAO Assembly: It is convened every three years, is the organization’s sovereign body, comprising all 193 signatory States to the Chicago Convention.
- ICAO Council: It consists of 36-member, elected by the 193 Member States during the Assembly, and serves as the governing body for a three-year term.
- Functions:
- It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security and facilitation, efficiency, and economic development of air transport as well as to improve the environmental performance of aviation.
- It also serves as a clearinghouse for cooperation and discussion on civil aviation issues among its 193 member states.
- It also promotes regional and international agreements aimed at liberalizing aviation markets.
- It helps to establish legal standards to ensure that the growth of aviation does not compromise safety and encourages the development of other aspects of international aviation law.
