IATA welcomes CORSIA decision

IATA welcomed the decision by the ICAO Council to use 2019 as a baseline for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

Originally, the CORSIA baseline calculation was agreed to be an average of 2019 and 2020 emissions. But the CORSIA baseline would have been severely skewed if 2020 emissions were used for the calculation. By excluding the extraordinary COVID-19 events of 2020, airlines will stabilize their emissions at levels anticipated when CORSIA was agreed by ICAO's 193 member states in 2016.

In 2022, the ICAO Assembly will consider if further amendments are necessary to address the impacts of COVID-19 to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme.

Airlines are committed to reducing net emissions to halve 2005 levels by 2050. CORSIA is a vital step in that direction, enabling carbon-neutral growth that will stabilize net emissions from international aviation at 2019 levels (580 million tonnes of carbon).

The decision provides immediate certainty and a clear path forward for the successful implementation of CORSIA. "Airlines are committed to carbon neutral growth through CORSIA," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. "The 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."