(Posted 26th September 2024)
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is expanding the distribution network for its IATA CO2 Connect emissions calculations with Thrust Carbon, a sustainability intelligence platform provider for the travel industry. The agreement was concluded during IATA’s World Sustainability Symposium and will commence in October 2024.
“The corporate travel sector needs accurate and comparable CO2 emissions calculations for its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) monitoring and reporting. By working with Thrust Carbon, we will respond to this important need with calculations based on actual operational data provided by a growing community of airlines,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President Commercial Products and Services.
IATA CO2 Connect emissions calculations are based on a globally accepted standardized methodology that uses airline operational (fuel burn) data. The calculations will be then provided to Thrust Carbon, who will process these according to their individual clients’ needs. Their client base covers mainly the corporate travel sector who will be incorporating these calculations into the flight selection process, as well as use them for ESG monitoring and reporting.
“As aviation’s main trade association, IATA has a long tradition in setting industry standards, and we are thrilled with the initiative they are taking towards achieving greater transparency and sustainability. As a result of our collaboration, our corporate customers can now have easier and wider access to the CO2 Connect methodology, including their data flowing in and out of every leading travel management company and expense platform. This enables more consistency for those customers, and the ability to accurately plan carrier and route changes to help meet reduction goals,” said Kit Aspen, Founder of Thrust Carbon.
Meanwhile has the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Delta Air Lines (Delta) will use and contribute operational data to the IATA CO2 Connect emissions calculator, for both passenger and cargo flights. The agreement with Delta was signed at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) currently taking place in Miami.
Delta will contribute fuel-burn data from its 4,000 daily flights—the largest of the over 40 airlines that currently contribute operational data to IATA CO2 Connect. With CO2 Connect, Delta will be able to provide all customers, regardless of whether they are individual travelers, corporate customers, or cargo customers, with greater transparency of their impact on the environment through flying.
“With Delta’s participation, IATA CO2 Connect will become an even stronger tool helping aviation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. IATA CO2 Connect’s methodology sets it apart because it uses operational data, not modeled averages. The vast amount of data from Delta’s worldwide operations is the raw material that will make IATA CO2 Connect’s calculation the most reliable for the measurement and reporting of CO2 emissions. That’s important for individual airlines, travelers, corporates, and shippers. They will all need consistent and accurate calculations on which to make informed decisions on managing the carbon footprints,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.
“IATA CO2 Connect has the potential to help airlines, like Delta, more effectively measure and advocate for decarbonization efforts that are critical on our journey to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050,” shared Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer of Delta Air Lines. “We believe at Delta that what gets measured gets done, and this is a great opportunity for the industry to align on reliable and consistent emissions data.”
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