IATA CO2 Connect enhanced to account for SAF
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced an upgrade to its CO2 Connect emissions calculator, allowing it to account for carbon emissions reductions achieved through the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
This enhancement follows IATA’s recent publication of the SAF Accounting & Reporting Methodology, which establishes specific guidelines for incorporating SAF usage into per-passenger CO2 calculations.
The IATA said that initially, the system will distribute emission reductions equally across an airline’s network, with all flights receiving the same percentage reduction based on total SAF purchases. Future updates will introduce the ability to allocate SAF emission reductions to specific routes.
“Corporations and individual travellers want to clearly understand how sustainable their flying is. And, particularly if they have invested in SAF, they want to know what impact it is having,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s senior vice president of commercial products and services. “By enhancing CO2 Connect with the IATA SAF Accounting and Reporting Methodology, we are providing the transparency and accuracy that individuals and corporates demand.”
The IATA said the CO2 Connect calculator uses real operational data, including aircraft-specific fuel consumption figures directly contributed by participating airlines, rather than relying on industry averages.
The initiative has gained significant traction, with ten new airlines recently joining the programme: Air India, Air Astana, Air Europa, Amelia, Clic Air, Corsair, Hi Fly, Oman Air, Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas and Royal Air Maroc. This brings the total number of participating airlines to approximately 60, substantially improving the calculator’s accuracy and transparency.
“With the strong support of all our participating airlines and the new ability to accurately account for SAF in the calculation, IATA CO2 Connect is going from strength to strength,” Leger noted. “It is a powerful tool to support aviation’s decarbonisation powered by global standard methodologies and high-quality data.”