The International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveiled on Sunday the ‘IATA CO2 Connect’, an online service that provides airlines, travel agents, corporate organizations, and passengers with accurate carbon emission calculations.
In October 2021, IATA endorsed a resolution for global air transport to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To limit global warming to 1.5°C, emissions must be cut by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, according to the United Nations’ estimation.
Frederic Leger, IATA Senior Vice-President for Commercial Products and Services, emphasized that the IATA CO2 Connect offers a simple IT interface. Airlines, travel agencies, corporate organizations, and others can transmit information about a single trip, such as itinerary, class, airline, and so on, to IATA CO2 Connect, and the carbon emissions for that trip will be calculated in microseconds.
The launch of the IATA CO2 Connect meets a rising demand for carbon data transparency related to airline-specific and actual fuel burn data and load factors.
Leger explained that individuals and business travel managers can use IATA CO2 Connect to acquire standardized precise estimations to make the most sustainable choices for their air travel, taking into account aircraft types, routings, and class of service. “Most importantly, data may be integrated for corporate reporting.”
Since IATA CO2 Connect is based on airline data and an industry-approved carbon emission calculation methodology, the tool can help the industry move toward a greener future by offering transparency and consistency, added Leger. Besides, companies both inside and outside the travel value chain can use the online tool.
The tool is expected to bring benefits to several industries. For instance, airlines will be able to benchmark their emissions with their peers and assess their progress toward net zero emissions; travel intermediaries will be able to help passengers make more sustainable choices by displaying carbon emissions on booking platforms; and corporate organizations will be able to provide critical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting to their customers and investors.
