IATA teams up with Etihad to trial air cargo CO2 emissions calculator

As a follow on to its introduction of the CO2 emissions calculator for passenger flights, IATA CO2 Connect the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) has teamed up with Etihad Airways (Etihad) to run trials on a similar concept for air cargo flights.

As a means to report on progress in sustainability throughout the entire value chain, the likes of shippers, forwarders, investors, regulators and consumers are requesting reliable and trustworthy data calculations. The results of this trial involving cargo flights will provide a proof of concept for the cargo element of IATA CO2 Connect. Through using airline-specific date, IATA CO2 Connect is the most accurate source of data so far. Calculating the carbon impact of cargo shipments has some of the most challenging parameters, not least because of the unpredictability at routing at time of booking an air cargo shipment that can often include non-air segments.

Additionally, cargo can be carried both onboard dedicated freighter aircraft as well as in the bellies of passenger aircraft. In order to obtain equal levels of accuracy to the IATA passenger calculator, it has become essential to collect actual data on fuel burn, load factors and other key variables, which will be done during the trials with Etihad. This will involve the tracking of necessary data for cargo shipments during a three-month trial. Etihad will be sharing data from flights and advising on various use cases to achieve the highest levels of accuracy, consistency and transparency.

“Aviation will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. And our customers—travelers and shippers—need accurate information on the emissions related to their activities to manage their own commitments and reporting obligations,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Products & Services.