ICAO’s Activities in the Field of Climate Change and Enviromental Protection:

CORSIA:

The 39th ICAO Assembly held in 2016 adopted ‘’Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). It is the first global market-based measure for any sector and represents a cooperative approach that moves away from a “patchwork” of national or regional regulatory initiatives. It offers a harmonized way to reduce emissions from international aviation, minimizingmarket distortion, while respecting the special circumstances and respective capabilities of ICAO Member States. CORSIA complements the other elements of the basket of measures by offsetting the amount of CO₂emissions that cannot be reduced through the use of technological improvements, operational improvements, and sustainable aviation fuels with emissions units from the carbon market.

CORSIA is implemented in three phases: a pilot phase (2021-2023), a first phase (2024-2026), and a second phase (2027-2035). For the first two phases (2021-2026), participation is voluntary. From 2027 onwards, participation will be determined based on 2018 RTK data.

As of 1 January 2022, 107 states had announced their intention to participate in CORSIA. Türkiye is one of the volunteer states from the initiation of the scheme. Eight more States announced their intention to participate in CORSIA from 1 January 2023, bringing the total number of participating States to 115.

LTAG:

The 41st ICAO Assembly held in 2022adopteda long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) for international aviationof net-zero carbon emissions by 2050in support of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement's temperature goal. This is a historic agreement that reinforces theleadership of ICAOon issues relating to international aviation and climate change.

The LTAGdoes not attribute specific obligations or commitmentsin the form of emissions reduction goals to individual States. Instead, it recognizes that each State'sspecial circumstances and respective capabilities(e.g., the level of development, maturity of aviation markets, sustainable growth of its international aviation, just transition, and national priorities of air transport development) will inform the ability of each State to contribute to the LTAG within itsown national timeframe. Each State will contribute to achieving the goal in asocially, economically and environmentally sustainable mannerand in accordance with itsnational circumstances.

SAFs:

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) aredefined asrenewable or waste-derived aviation fuelsthat meets sustainability criteria. Technical analysis done at ICAO shows that SAF has the greatest potential to reduce CO₂emissions from international aviation.

CORSIA includes specific methodologies thatallowaircraft operators to reduce its offsetting requirements through the use of SAF and Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF), includingglobally-acceptedsustainability criteriaandlife cycle methodologies.

TheLTAG reportshows that SAF has the greatest potential to reduce CO2 emissions from International Aviation.