British Airways Clients Can Now Purchase Carbon Removal Credits

British Airways now offers customers the opportunity to reduce their carbon emissions by purchasing certified carbon reduction credits.

This innovative approach was possible thanks to British Airways' new climate platform, CO2llaborate. It is another milestone in its BA Better World sustainability program.

Although the carbon removal industry is still relatively small, scientists, governments, and regulators, including the United Nations, recognize carbon removal projects to be a crucial tool in addressing climate change.

Carbon offsets are traditional carbon reductions that are used to reduce, eliminate or remove additional CO2 from the atmosphere. Carbon removals are projects that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or the carbon cycle. Both carbon offsets, and carbon removals, are essential for meeting global climate goals. However, scientists at the United Nations believe that there will be a gradual transition to support more carbon removals over time as technology improves, verification standards mature, and policy support mechanisms become more effective.

British Airways, along with its parent company International Airlines Group, (IAG), has supported research and innovation in order to accelerate the development cutting-edge carbon removals strategies since 2019. This is part of British Airways' commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. British Airways is committed to supporting innovative carbon removals solutions. It is open to projects that can be independently verified and are available immediately.

British Airways offsets carbon emissions from all flights within the UK. However, customers who fly further afield can purchase carbon offsets and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through their partnership with Phillips 66. The airline's CO2llaborate platform allows them to calculate and address their carbon emissions while flying. This platform was created in partnership by CHOOSE(tm) and allows customers to assess their flight emissions and to take steps to reduce their climate impact either before or after they travel.

Customers can also add carbon removals to their portfolio on CO2llaborate to give them more control over how to reduce their carbon footprint. The adjustable slider allows customers to choose between verified carbon removals and SAF carbon offsets. This is the first time that an airline has offered this range of options to reduce their emissions.

British Airways customers can now choose to use a combination of two independently certified carbon removal projects. More projects are planned for the future.

Blue Carbon Mangrove Project

Blue Carbon Mangrove Project, a project that is nature-based (where plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis), is located in Pakistan's Indus Delta. The project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by revegetating and reforestation of approximately 225,000 hectares of degraded tidal wetlands with mangroves and other species. This will stabilize the area, protect coastal areas and communities and provide carbon dioxide absorption.

Freres Biochar Project

Freres Biochar is a project that saws the company's biochar power plant in Oregon produce biochar. Biochar is a carbon-rich, charcoal-like material created from agricultural and wood waste. This process locks carbon into the material and prevents it from naturally decaying. It keeps carbon away from the atmosphere for many hundreds of years.

Carrie Harris, British Airways Director of Sustainability, stated:

“In 2019, when we committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we identified that a vital way to meet this goal would be by using carbon removals and we currently expect that these could contribute up to a third of our total action. While we continue to drive action to reduce our emissions now, including by improving operational efficiency, investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and scaling up the availability of sustainable aviation fuel, we’re excited to be supporting research and innovation to accelerate the scale-up of carbon removals solutions.

“By choosing carbon removals projects as part of their action to address the emissions associated with flying, our customers are not only joining us on our journey to a more sustainable future, but also helping accelerate the development of the vital carbon removal industry.”

 

Source: breakingtravelnews.com