Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
During 2021, the ICAO Council approved:
the list of 107 States that volunteered to participate in CORSIA starting on 1 January 2022;
the 2021 version of the CORSIA CO2 Estimation and Reporting Tool (CERT) and related technical documentation;
life-cycle emissions reduction values and methodologies for CORSIA eligible fuels, as well as CORSIA sustainability criteria and guidance to Sustainability Certification Schemes (SCS) on the application of the sustainability criteria, Themes 3 to 7, for CORSIA sustainable aviation fuel after the pilot phase;
updates of emissions unit programmes that can supply CORSIA eligible emissions units for the pilot phase. The Council was also informed of the updated information on the potential supply of CORSIA eligible emissions units, which estimated that eligible programmes were likely to issue around 300 to 350 million units with mitigation years 2016–2020;
the average CO2 emissions for 2019 and 2020 for all State pairs and the total emissions for 2020, based on data submitted by States through the CORSIA Central Registry (CCR). A total of 117 States had submitted CO2 emissions data for 2019, and 110 States had submitted CO2 emissions data for 2020. For States that were not able to submit CO2 emissions data, the Secretariat provided data to fill the corresponding emissions gaps, pursuant to Annex 16, Volume IV; and
information on aeroplane operators attributed to States and information on verification bodies accredited in States, submitted by States through the CCR.
In July 2021, ICAO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the
Forest Trends Ecosystem Marketplace for the provision of carbon market data and analysis. Under the MOU, the Ecosystem Marketplace provides ICAO with data on carbon market transactions of CORSIA-eligible emissions units and the analyses of these transactions. Such information will help to enhance States’ and stakeholders’ understanding of both developments in international carbon markets and the effects of CORSIA on the aviation sector as the industry begins to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby enhancing transparency and market and social confidence in CORSIA. The initial data to result from this MOU have been published in the November 2021 edition of the CORSIA newsletter.
The Council initiated its work on the 2022 CORSIA periodic review as requested at the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly. The process and methodology for the periodic review and a framework for consideration of inputs from the technical bodies were agreed in March. A consultation process with Member States was also undertaken by means of a questionnaire, the replies to which have been considered by the Council.
As part of the 2022 periodic review, the Council has been examining the various ways in which CORSIA has been impacted by COVID-19, including the impact on CORSIA baseline emissions and associated cost impacts in its future phases.
The ICAO CORSIA Forum was held as a virtual open event from 6 to 7 October 2021. The Forum provided an opportunity to track progress in CORSIA’s implementation and focus on the milestones achieved, share success stories and lessons learned in implementation, receive information on the 2022 CORSIA periodic review process and related progress, and analyse the impact of COVID-19 on CORSIA and recovery scenarios.
