CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) Verification

CORSIA stands for “Carbon Offsetting and  Reduction Scheme for International Aviation”. It is a market-based mechanism being developed by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

What is the aim of “CORSIA”?

• CORSIA is a UN deal designed to help the  aviation industry reach its “aspirational goal” to make all growth in international flights after 2020 “carbon neutral”.
• Domestic aviation emissions are already covered by the Paris Agreement in national pledges. But international flights, which account for around 65% of the aviation industry’s CO2 emissions, are instead covered by UN’s ICAO.

Countries with airlines which undertake international flights have been asked to begin monitoring emissions from 1 January 2019, according to rules agreed in June 2018. Companies operating in all 192 ICAO member countries are required to monitor these emissions, even if they are not participating in the voluntary stages of CORSIA. 

• CORSIA States for Chapter 3 State Pairs
• ICAO CORSIA CO2 Estimation and Reporting Tool (CERT)
• CORSIA Eligible Fuels
• CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units
• CORSIA Central Registry (CCR)

How will offsetting requirements work?

At the end of each three-year phase, participating airlines will be required to buy offsets for emissions growth above 2020 levels for each of the previous three years. In the early years of CORSIA, the number of offsets each airline will need to buy will depend on the entire global industry’s emissions growth since 2020, rather than any change in that individual company’s CO2 output.

The requirement to offset emissions will be divided among airlines in proportion to the total CO2 emissions of that company, instead of their growth from 2020. This is referred to as the “sectorial” component of CORSIA.

How does an Aeroplane Operator Monitor CO2 Emissions?

• An Aeroplane operator shall monitor and record its fuel use from international flights in accordance with an eligible monitoring method approved by the State to which it is attributed, and shall use the same eligible monitoring method for the entire compliance period.
• An Aeroplane operator can choose from five different eligible methods for fuel use monitoring. The methods are equivalent; there is no hierarchy for selecting a method.

Applicable Standards/ References

• International standard ISO 14064 -3 : 2019
• Environmental Protection, Volume IV - CORSIA
• Environmental Technical Manual (Doc 9501),    Volume IV, - Procedures for demonstrating compliance with the CORSIA
• DGCA - Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 10 - Aviation Environment Protection Series ‘C’ Part I

• Recognized accredited greenhouse gas validation and verification body (ISO 14065 & ISO 17029 Accredited by NABCB).
• Empaneled with DGCA as third party verification body for CORSIA scheme.
• Competent for greenhouse gas verification teams
• Unique record of completing all projects well within time frame.
• Expertise on guidance for the validation and verification of greenhouse gas assertions.