Global Leaders Agree to Reduce and Offset Carbon Emissions from Plane Travel

"Governments from more than 190 countries on [Oct. 6] adopted a measure that for the first time will reduce the climate impact of international jet travel," reports Henry Fountain, science reporter for The New York Times.

The aviation plan, the product of years of negotiations, was approved by acclamation at a meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, or I.C.A.O., in Montreal.

Leaders hailed the accord, which will take effect in 2021, as a major step in reducing the environmental impact of international aviation, which is currently responsible for about 2 percent of worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases.

The plan, known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), "is designed to complement the basket of mitigation measures the air transport community is already pursuing to reduce CO2 emissions from international aviation," notes the ICAO press release.

Implementation of the CORSIA will begin with a pilot phase from 2021 through 2023, followed by a first phase, from 2024 through 2026. Participation in both of these early stages will be voluntary and the next phase from 2027 to 2035 would see all States on board.

"Under the program, airlines will buy credits to offset emissions from individual flights," adds Fountain.

The credits will come from alternative energy installations, forest conservation programs and other projects that prevent some amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

JetBlue has already agreed to one of the largest purchases of renewable jet fuel in aviation history to lower its carbon footprint.

On Oct. 5, the number of nations that had approved the Paris Climate Accord was approved by nations responsible for 55 percent of global carbon emissions, meeting the threshold for the agreement to take effect next month.