The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) projects that global aviation emissions could triple by 2050 as demand for flights continues to rise. The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), put in place by ICAO, is intended to help the aviation sector achieve carbon-neutral growth and mitigate its climate impact. However, CORSIA relies on downstream offsetting markets of which it does not have oversight. In terms of the fuel mix, it is very likely that aviation will depend on kerosene for some time because the supply of alternative fuels is constrained.
To address these problems, the authors of this briefing propose an additional measure: integrating Geologically Balanced Fuels, or GBFs, into CORSIA. GBFs can be defined as kerosene supplied along with geological CO2 storage units, with every unit matching the emissions from each tonne of kerosene accounted for at the point of supply. The authors argue that GBFs should be a complement to Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels, not a replacement for them. Integrated in the right way, they would improve the robustness of CORSIA and help the sector to reach net-zero emissions faster.
Authors: Kai Jiang, Stuart Jenkins, Nicoletta Brazzola, Myles Allen.
