Coalition pushes for new emission reduction in aviation

A total of 18 countries have committed to support the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aviation by promoting the development of a framework to support the deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia), in a declaration made as part of the UN Cop 26 climate conference.

"Without dramatic urgent actions there will be substantial additional growth in [aviation] emissions over the next 30 years", US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said at the launch of the initiative at the climate conference. "It falls to us to find ways to limit those emissions urgently", he added.

Buttigieg highlighted that the US "was making up for lost time", having put a net-zero aviation emission pledge in place by 2050. The US government also issued a sustainable aviation fuel grant challenge with the aim of achieving production of 3bn gallons of SAF a year by 2030.

Buttigieg also announced an investment of $200mn to advance aviation technologies and to reduce fuel use, emissions and noise.

Signatories of the initiative will support the implementation of Corsia and other ICAO climate measures, including advancing uptake of freely available tools and expanding regional expertise, accreditation and access to markets for SAFs and Corsia eligible emissions units.

Corsia requires countries to oblige their airlines to offset CO2 emissions exceeding relevant baselines with international carbon credits. The ICAO council last year decided that 2019 emissions should be used as the baseline for 2021-23, instead of average 2019-20 emissions, owing to the effects of the pandemic.

They also agreed to promote the development and deployment — through international and national measures — of SAFs that reduce lifecycle emissions avoiding competition with food production for land use and water supply, and will work to develop new low and zero-carbon aircraft technologies.

Signatories also committed to ensure that double counting of emissions reductions is avoided through the host state's application of corresponding adjustments in accounting for its contribution under the Paris Agreement for the mitigation underlying all Corsia eligible emissions units and, where needed, Corsia eligible fuels, used towards Corsia compliance.

Signatories include the UK, France, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the US, Spain and Turkey. All 18 countries are parties to the Paris Agreement and contracting states to the Chicago convention on international civil aviation.

"The aviation sector cannot afford further delay in decarbonisation", Japanese transport minister Saito Tetsuo said, highlighting that "international co-operation is crucially important to promote decarbonisation in this field", calling Corsia and carbon offsetting and reduction schemes for international aviation at ICAO a success.

By Giulia Squadrin and Florence Schmit