FAQ: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) explained

The document describes CORSIA as a global mechanism designed to achieve "carbon-neutral growth" by requiring airlines to offset CO2 emissions that exceed a set baseline. It criticizes the scheme for its low ambition, specifically the lowering of the baseline to 85% of 2019 emissions for the period 2024-2035. The author argues that CORSIA is ineffective because it is voluntary until 2027, ignores non-CO2 impacts, and relies on low-priced, low-quality carbon credits that do not incentivize actual emission reductions.

• CORSIA aims for "carbon-neutral growth" by requiring airlines to monitor emissions and purchase carbon credits to offset any emissions that exceed a baseline set by the ICAO Council.
• The baseline for emissions has been adjusted multiple times: it was initially the average of 2019-2020, then changed to 2019 emissions only for 2021-2023, and finally set at 85% of 2019 emissions for the period from 2024 until 2035.
• Participation in the scheme is growing, with 126 states announcing their intention to participate as of 1 January 2024.
• The ICAO Council approved 11 programmes for the 2021-2023 compliance period, including the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and The Gold Standard (GS), but only two programmes—the American Carbon Registry (ACR) and the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART)—have been approved for the 2024-2026 period.
• CORSIA is considered ineffective because it is voluntary until 2027, excludes non-CO2 impacts and domestic flights, and utilizes carbon credits of inadequate quality and low price that fail to incentivize emission reductions.

APA

Rao, D. (2024). FAQ: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) explained. Carbon Market Watch. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/01/31/faq-carbon-offsetting-and-reduction-scheme-for-international-aviation-corsia-explained/

Chicago

Rao, Daniele. FAQ: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) explained. Carbon Market Watch, 2024. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/01/31/faq-carbon-offsetting-and-reduction-scheme-for-international-aviation-corsia-explained/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rao |first1=Daniele |title=FAQ: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) explained |publisher=Carbon Market Watch |date=31 January 2024 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/01/31/faq-carbon-offsetting-and-reduction-scheme-for-international-aviation-corsia-explained/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rao2024faq, author = {Rao, Daniele}, title = {{FAQ: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) explained}}, institution = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/01/31/faq-carbon-offsetting-and-reduction-scheme-for-international-aviation-corsia-explained/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }