Latest news with #carbonoffsetting
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
CAA, IATA hold workshop on sustainable aviation emissions in Oman
Muscat – In collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Wednesday hosted a workshop focused on the implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in the Sultanate of Oman. Titled 'Understanding and Implementing the Requirements of CORSIA in the Sultanate of Oman,' the workshop aimed to raise awareness among key stakeholders about the global framework and its potential to deliver both economic and environmental benefits for the country. CORSIA, a programme under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is designed to cap carbon dioxide emissions from international flights at 2020 levels by requiring airlines to offset any increase in emissions beyond that baseline. The workshop highlighted the alignment of CORSIA with international climate agreements, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Participants were briefed on compliance requirements and the broader implications of CORSIA on the global carbon market and sustainable development initiatives. Key sessions focused on identifying and developing eligible projects under the CORSIA framework, with case studies from the Global Carbon Council and examples of Omani initiatives. These discussions explored ways to integrate local offsetting efforts with international mechanisms, encouraging collaboration among regulators, airlines, and project developers. The event also served as a platform to explore opportunities to expand Oman's participation in the global carbon market through aviation-related sustainability initiatives. It aimed to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to develop, endorse, and implement CORSIA-compliant projects that align with the country's climate and development goals. The outcomes of the workshop are expected to support the creation of new carbon offset projects in Oman, foster cross-sector cooperation, and strengthen the nation's environmental credentials in line with best global practices.
Times of Oman
5 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Workshop reviews means of enabling Omani projects to offset aviation emissions, promote sustainability
Muscat: Acting in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday organised a workshop titled "Understanding and Implementing the Requirements of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in the Sultanate of Oman". The workshop was aimed to raise public awareness about the requirements of the CORSIA programme among stakeholders in the Sultanate of Oman. The workshop also sought to enhance knowledge about the mechanisms of endorsing new projects based on the CORSIA programme in a manner that contributes to the realisation of economic and environmental benefits for the Sultanate of Oman. It elaborates on effects of the programme's implementation on the global carbon market system and on sustainable development efforts at the local and international levels. The workshop outlined the CORSIA programme and its relation to the regulatory frameworks of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It also defined the requirements of compliance with the CORSIA programme and its relation to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It also focused on case studies of eligible projects within CORSIA, with emphasis on the Global Carbon Council and related Omani projects. The workshop dealt with ways of identifying and promoting opportunities that maximise the benefits to be gained from the Sultanate of Oman's carbon offsetting emissions in projects, integrating these initiatives in international frameworks and encouraging cooperation among stakeholders, including regulators, airlines and project developers. The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to developing new projects approved as part of CORSIA programmes. They will also help achieve greater environmental and economic goals in the Sultanate of Oman, enhance the participants' aptitude to identify and implement eligible CORSIA initiatives and ensure that such initiatives would keep pace with the best global practices.
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ryanair quietly drops carbon offset option for passengers on its flights
Europe's largest airline, Ryanair , has quietly dropped a carbon offsetting service for passengers, where for €2 they could partially compensate for the emissions generated by their journey, with the funds going to designated green projects. Ryanair has also dropped is its carbon calculator, a digital tool introduced in 2021 that gave consumers the option of fully offsetting the emissions from their flight. This calculated the emissions per passenger on every Ryanair route and allowed customers to pay the full carbon cost of their flight and contribute to environmental initiatives. Last week, the 'Customer Carbon Offsetting' section of the airline's website, with a detailed explainer and outline of where raised money goes to, was still featuring, but following a query from The Irish Times, it is no longer visible. READ MORE Asked whether the option had been discontinued, the airline said: 'That's correct, as there was very little interest or uptake from passengers.' [ Are the tools for measuring greenhouse gas emissions fit for purpose? Opens in new window ] The carbon calculator was announced with advertising messages stating, 'Ryanair goes greener' and '100 per cent of customer contributions go to our climate projects'. Some months later, its chief executive Michael O'Leary announced only 1 per cent of passengers had taken up the offer, but that subsequently climbed to 3 per cent. The airline declined to indicate the total figure committed by passengers. When extending the option, Ryanair said it was 'committed to being a net carbon neutral airline by 2050 and the expansion of our offset scheme will further pave our way to achieving this goal while helping our environmental partners further their carbon reduction programs'. These contributions, with 'independent certification', supported environmental initiatives including Renature Monchique – a reforestation project in the Algarve ; the distribution of energy-efficient cookstoves in Uganda by First Climate; Balikesir's Wind Power Plant Project in Turkey, and Improved Kitchen Regimes in Malawi powered by CO2 Balance (the latter two in partnership with Shell). By 2022, the airline said hundreds of thousands of customers had contributed more than €3.5 million to environmental projects, while it already had the lowest CO² emissions per passenger per kilometre of any major airline in Europe. It said that by switching to Ryanair, passengers could reduce their emissions. UCC energy analyst Prof Hannah Daly, in response to the Ryanair decision, said 'the climate impact of aviation can't be swept under the carpet'. 'Giving the impression that the highly polluting impact of flying can be made sustainable with token and cheap offsetting schemes is misleading; offsetting schemes don't compensate for the carbon emitted from flying,' she said. Governments were increasingly scrutinising sustainability claims made by companies, 'and this should be welcomed', Prof Daly added. The airline, which is the biggest aviation emitter in Europe, has also committed to scaling up the use of sustainable aviation fuels. But it has fallen foul of advertising authorities on its green claims and carbon offsetting. It has repeatedly referred to itself as the ' greenest and cleanest airline in Europe' . [ 'All we hear from Michael O'Leary is climate change denial' Opens in new window ] In 2020, a claim in an advertisement that Ryanair is 'Europe's ... lowest-emissions airline' was found to be misleading by the UK's advertising regulator. Also in 2020, Ryanair dropped two carbon-offset projects funded by passengers after claims they do little or nothing to reduce total emissions. The airline dropped a tree-planting scheme in Ireland before a single sapling was planted, and pulled funding from a whale-watching project. Critics said the schemes were 'woefully inadequate' at cancelling out the massive amount of greenhouse gas Ryanair produces each year. After conducting an investigation into CO² compensation claims in the airline industry, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) accused Ryanair in 2023 of using misleading sustainability claims. Statements such as 'Fly greener to [X destination]' might give the wrong impression that consumers can fly 'green' with Ryanair, it ruled. Also, it rejected claims suggesting offsetting emissions would lead to sustainable flights. Edwin van Houten, director of ACM's consumer department, said: 'Businesses must be honest and clear about the sustainability claims they make. 'Even with CO²-compensation schemes, flying remains a highly polluting way of travelling. Airlines may offer CO² compensation schemes, but they cannot give the impression that CO² compensation will make flying sustainable.' [ Can the aviation industry really go green? Opens in new window ] Ryanair then implemented changes to its website, including adding a clear message that CO² compensation does not make flying itself more sustainable. Messages such as 'Fly greener to […]' were changed to factual messages such as 'compensate your estimated CO² emissions'. In addition, icons such as green leaves were removed.
