The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released a methodology to track “industry-level progress” towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with plans to publish an annual report from Q4 2024.
The Net Zero Tracking Methodology and related reporting process were developed “with industry experts” and outlines key metrics to track the evolution of carbon emissions intensity while accounting for changes in traffic volumes and available capacity.
It has also identified three key emissions and reduction sources: convention jet fuel and related emissions, reductions from the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) together with carbon offsets and carbon capture, and emissions related to future power sources such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft. The methodology also provides best practices for data collection and validation.
The annual ‘Track Zero’ report will aggregate yearly inputs from member airlines based on the methodology. The report will be published in the fourth quarter of each year following “thorough validation” of industry data from the previous calendar year, according to the organisation.
IATA’s 300-plus member airlines in 2021 approved a resolution to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the organisation said the tracking methodology has since been developed to establish a “transparent framework” for accurate reporting and to monitor progress at an industry level.
“Transparency is a critical element of aviation’s decarbonisation,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s senior vice president sustainability and chief economist.
“We will report our progress annually to ensure standardised, accurate and comprehensive reporting of aviation’s journey to net zero. Industry-level data in the Track Zero report will help airlines, governments, and investors with tools to improve decision-making to accelerate progress,” she added.
In a statement, IATA said airlines can use the aggregate data of the report to benchmark their own progress towards decarbonisation. Non-IATA member airlines are also encouraged to contribute data and participate in the reporting.
“Decarbonisation is an industry challenge, not a competitive issue,” Owens Thomsen said. “Nonetheless, the report and the methodology behind it can enable benchmarking that could intensify decarbonisation efforts by spreading the success of best practices and sparking innovation.”
On Thursday (6 July) IATA also reported continued growth in air travel in May, with the average load factor reaching 81.8 per cent of pre-pandemic levels (largely driven by North American carriers).
Domestic markets reported growth on pre-pandemic levels, while international demand reached 90.8 per cent of 2019 levels.
European carriers posted a 19.8 per cent traffic rise versus May 2022, while capacity climbed 14.2 per cent and load factor rose 3.9 percentage points to 84.4 per cent.