ICAO, IATA push states to strengthen CORSIA carbon framework

Ten years after the establishment of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have again called on governments and aviation stakeholders to renew their commitment to the scheme.

ICAO said the adoption of CORSIA a decade ago demonstrated what could be achieved through multilateral cooperation, particularly in addressing a global challenge such as climate change.

The organisation noted that 192 ICAO member states unanimously endorsed both CORSIA and the industry’s net-zero carbon emissions ambition at 2026 ICAO Assembly, reinforcing the scheme’s position as the central global framework for tackling emissions from international aviation.

According to ICAO, CORSIA has been designed to provide environmental integrity and regulatory certainty while maintaining a level-playing field for international airlines and taking into account the different circumstances of individual countries.

The organisation also stressed that CORSIA was not designed to operate in isolation from technological and operational improvements in aviation.

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Rather, it complements advances in aircraft technology, improved flight operations and the development and use of cleaner aviation fuels, particularly Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF).

ICAO said the scheme’s harmonised sustainability framework had helped create incentives for greater investment in and adoption of these fuels.

Over the past decade, the organisation said there had been significant progress in implementing CORSIA, including an increase in the number of eligible carbon-credit programmes.

It added that the volume of CORSIA-certified sustainable and lower-carbon aviation fuels used by the industry had more than doubled in the past two years.

ICAO also highlighted the industry’s ability to maintain its commitments under CORSIA despite the severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICAO Council president, Toshiyuki Onuma, said the unanimous support given to CORSIA by the member States demonstrated the importance attached to having a single global solution to international aviation emissions.

“ICAO member states have recognised CORSIA’s strength in responding to the climate emergency through their unanimous Resolution at the ICAO Assembly,” Onuma said.

“This consensus reflects CORSIA’s central and leading role in providing the international solution to the global carbon emissions of an entire sector and confirms Member States’ collective will to maintain a globally harmonised approach, avoiding fragmented or duplicative measures.”

He urged governments and other aviation stakeholders to use the 10th anniversary to reinforce their commitment to the scheme.

“On this tenth anniversary, we urge all ICAO Member States and stakeholders to renew and strengthen their commitment to CORSIA, to lead the way in innovation, implementation, and ambition,” he said.

ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar said the future effectiveness of CORSIA would depend on sustained international cooperation, technological progress, effective implementation and regular review of eligible carbon-credit programmes and fuels.

“The continued success of CORSIA will rely on sustained cooperation, technical progress, robust implementation, and the ongoing review and inclusion of eligible carbon credit programmes and fuels,” Salazar said.

“ICAO is calling on all Member States and stakeholders to continue to stand together in enhancing CORSIA as the sole global measure addressing emissions from international aviation.”

He said the coming years would be critical for translating the scheme’s commitments into measurable emissions reductions.

“The coming years will be decisive: by working together, accelerating the scale-up of sustainable aviation fuels, and ensuring robust participation and compliance, we can deliver real and lasting emissions reductions across the global aviation sector,” Salazar said.