Lessons learned from the first round of applications by carbon-offsetting programs for eligibility under CORSIA

In 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The scheme requires participating airline operators to purchase carbon offset credits to compensate for the increase in their carbon dioxide emissions from international flights above 2019/2020 levels.

This paper synthesizes key lessons learned from an assessment of the first 14 applications of carbon-offsetting programs for eligibility under CORSIA, focussing on five out of eight eligibility criteria established by ICAO. The evaluation shows that the degree to which the applicants satisfy the ICAO requirements differs substantially. Some applicants hardly meet any of the requirements and may not even be considered carbon-offsetting programs. However, there are also notable differences in relation to specific criteria.