The airline sector is keen on reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as part of its sustainability initiatives, introducing a methodology to accurately calculate them on a per-passenger scheme in a flight.
In a statement, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it has launched its Recommended Practice Per-Passenger CO2 Calculation Methodology as travelers, corporate travel managers and travel agents “are increasingly demanding precise flight CO2 emission information.”
The group said that the corporate sector, especially, needs a standardized and accurate calculation to support voluntary emissions reduction targets.
“Airlines have worked together through IATA to develop an accurate and transparent methodology using verified airline operational data. This provides the most accurate CO2 calculation for organizations and individuals to make informed choices about flying sustainably,” IATA director general Willie Walsh said.
“This includes decisions on investing in voluntary carbon offsetting or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use,” he added. SAF is an alternative source of energy made up of sustainable feedstocks—renewable materials that can be converted into fuel—with the aim of reducing carbon emissions.
In its methodology, IATA considers the guidance on fuel measurement, allocation of CO2 emission by passenger and belly cargo, passenger weight and guidance on SAF, among others.
The methodology was crafted with an airline working group comprising 20 major airlines, with aircraft manufacturers validating it during development.