GENEVA: IATA has endorsed a standard method to calculate the CO2 emissions per passenger, per flight based on verified airline data.

The airline association says it considered the following factors in making its recommendation:

• Guidance on fuel measurement, aligned with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
• Clearly defined scope to calculate CO2 emissions in relation to airlines’ flying activities.
• Guidance on non-CO2 related emissions and Radiative Forcing Index (RFI)*.
• Weight based calculation principle: allocation of CO2 emission by passenger and belly cargo.
• Guidance on passenger weight, using actual and standard weight.
• Emissions Factor for conversion of jet fuel consumption to CO2, fully aligned with CORSIA.
• Cabin class weighting and multipliers to reflect different cabin configurations of airlines.
• Guidance on SAF and carbon offsets as part of the CO2 calculation.

“The plethora of carbon calculation methodologies with varying results creates confusion and dents consumer confidence,” commented IATA director general Willie Walsh. “Aviation is committed to achieving net zero by 2050. By creating an accepted industry standard for calculating aviation’s carbon emissions, we are putting in place essential support to achieve this goal.”

IATA’s ‘Recommended Practice Per-Passenger CO2 calculation Methodology’, developed by 20 members and validated by aircraft manufacturers, is expected to be adopted by IATA members at the end of this month.

*The RFI describes the increased greenhouse effect of aircraft emissions (especially CO2, H2O (gaseous) and nitrogen oxides) at high altitudes. It shows that air traffic has on average a warming effect that is around 2.7 times as large as that resulting from pure CO 2 emissions.