Indian Airlines To Join Global Climate Action In 2027

Indian airline is set to join the sustainable aviation bandwagon from 2027 by joining the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO). This step is crucial as aviation carbon emissions adds significantly to climate change and the aviation sector has been expanding too.
 
It was during the Parliament's Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which was presided over by Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia that this announcement was made. The subject under consideration was Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
 
ICAO, is the authroity, to facilitate in reducing the carbon emissions from international civil aviation. In order to mitigate carbon emissions from aviation sector and its impacts on climate change it has adopted the aspirational goal of 2 per cent annual fuel efficiency improvement through 2050, carbon neutral growth from 2020 onwards, and net zero by 2050. 
 
A number of measures has also been identified by ICAO to achieve these goals which include CORSIA and LTAG. CORSIA is being rolled out in three phases, out of which participation is voluntary in the first two phases for (2021-2026). 

India has decided not to participate in the voluntary phases of CORSIA. Offsetting requirement under the CORSIA for Indian careers will start from 2027. It will help airlines of the developing countries like India to have a space to grow more and not face any financial consequences due to CORSIA by joining voluntary phases.
 
CORSIA is applicable to international flights originating from one country to another. Financial implications due to offsetting will be borne by individual airlines depending upon their international operations as and when applicable.
 
Other initiatives by the aviation sector to deal with the climate crisi includes policies like The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) has notified a National Policy on Bio Fuels 2018 to realize the goal of de-carbonization of aviation sector; MoPNG constituted the Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Programme Committee to support the Bio-ATF Programme in the country to promote the use of clean fuel in aviation. The Committee has submitted its report which has now been circulated to various stakeholders.
 
India has also taken several steps like joining ICAO’s Assistance Capacity Building & Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Programme. The Bureau of Indian Standard has issued Indian Standard for Bio-Jet ATF in January 2019. Several meetings have been held with the Indian carriers to sensitise them regarding the impact of CORSIA on airlines once the mandatory phase starts and the resultant needs to be prepared for the same. 
 
The aviation sector is keen on dealing with its carbon footprint. Sustainable fuel alternatives have been approved by DGCA. Spicejet operated a demonstration flight with 25 per cent SAF (Biofuel produced from Jatropha seeds by Indian Institute of Petroleum, CSIR lab) blended with ATF from Dehradun to Delhi in August, 2018. The fuel is under process of ASTM approval. Indigo carried out its first international ferry flight with 10 per cent blended fuel from Toulouse to Delhi on February 2022. Vistara carried out 30 per cent blended SAF ferry flight from Seattle to Delhi in March 2023. Air Asia to expect to carry out first commercial domestic flight with 0.57 per cent SAF blended fuel flight is yet to commence.
 
Other related initiatives include Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) plan to set up an 86.8 TMTPA plant at Panipat using LanzaJet ATJ (alcohol to jet) Technology. IOCL has also signed a MoU with Pune-based Praj Industries to set up a plant for developing ATJ fuels. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. is planning to build a bio-ATF pilot plant at Mangalore using CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum’s technology using non edible oils and used cooking oil as feedstock.