Japan Airlines and Climeworks Solutions announce world's first CORSIA-compliant carbon removal agreement | aviationbizz.com
Japan Airlines (JAL) and Climeworks Solutions today announced the world’s first (*) purchase agreement for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits designed to meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
The agreement represents an important milestone for the aviation sector and the broader integration of carbon removal into compliance markets. By demonstrating real-world demand for CORSIA-compliant removals, JAL and Climeworks Solutions are helping establish a new market that will play an important role in aviation’s long-term decarbonization journey.
The partnership underscores JAL’s commitment both to CORSIA and to high-quality carbon removal. As airlines work toward net-zero emissions, carbon removals are expected to play an increasingly important role in addressing residual emissions that cannot be eliminated through emission reductions alone. By taking this pioneering step, JAL is helping explore how high-integrity carbon removals, including technologies such as Direct Air Capture (DAC), can complement aviation’s broader decarbonization efforts.
This agreement builds on JAL’s broader sustainability efforts, which include aircraft renewal, operational innovations and the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). JAL has also been an early supporter of CORSIA, becoming one of the first airlines to retire large-scale CORSIA-eligible credits (**). Through this agreement, the company is extending that leadership to carbon dioxide removal, helping pioneer a new category of high-integrity credits for international aviation.
The portfolio sourced by Climeworks Solutions will include a range of carbon removal pathways selected to fulfil all requirements for ICAO CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs), including approaches such as soil carbon sequestration and biochar. Alongside these CORSIA-compliant removal credits, JAL will also purchase Climeworks DAC credits, reflecting the airline’s commitment to supporting both high-quality carbon removals available today and the long-term development of engineered carbon removal solutions.
”As the first airline to secure CORSIA-compliant carbon removals, we are proud to lead the industry toward net-zero emissions,” said Noriko Ogawa, Executive Officer and Chairperson, Sustainability Promotion Committee, Japan Airlines. ”While reducing emissions through aircraft renewal, operational innovations and the use of SAF remains our top priority, high-integrity carbon removals are essential to address residual emissions. Through this pioneering partnership with Climeworks, we aim to accelerate the adoption of high-quality solutions across international aviation and contribute to a sustainable future for air travel.”
“This agreement with JAL represents an important milestone not only for aviation, but for the wider carbon removal industry,” said Adrian Siegrist, Chief Commercial Officer at Climeworks. “Earlier this year, Climeworks Solutions expanded its offering to help organizations procure carbon removal portfolios aligned with emerging compliance frameworks, including CORSIA. This agreement demonstrates how carbon removal is increasingly moving from voluntary climate action into compliance markets.”
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