International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been entrusted to facilitate to reduce the carbon emissions from international civil aviation as one of its focus areas.
Key points
- In order to mitigate carbon emissions from aviation sector and its impacts on climate change. ICAO has adopted the aspirational goals, viz. 2% annual fuel efficiency improvement through 2050, Carbon Neutral Growth from 2020 onwards, and net zero by 2050.
- A basket of measures has also been identified by ICAO to achieve these goals which include the Carbon Offfsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG).
- CORSIA is implemented in three phases, out of which participation is voluntary in the first two phases for (2021-2026). India has decided not to participate in the voluntary phases of CORSIA.
- Offsetting requirement under the CORSIA for Indian careers will start from 2027. This will enable airlines of the developing countries like India to get time to grow more and do not face any financial consequences due to CORSIA by joining voluntary phases.
- CORSIA is applicable to international flights originating from one country to another. Financial implications due to offsetting will be born by individual airlines depending upon their international operations as and when applicable.
- India has committed to net zero by 2070 at COP26 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) has notified a National Policy on Bio Fuels 2018 to realize the goal of de-carbonization of aviation sector.
- MoPNG constituted the Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Programme Committee to take forward the Bio-ATF Programme in the country to promote the use of clean fuel in aviation. The Committee has submitted its report which has now been circulated to various stakeholders.
