IATA partners with BA and Microsoft on carbon scheme

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced a collaboration with British Airways and Microsoft to enhance the precision of its CO2 Connect tool for cargo, which calculates carbon emissions.

British Airways will share flight-level fuel burn data from its approximately 700 daily flights to improve the accuracy of emissions data.

“At British Airways, transparency and consistency are essential to our sustainability efforts. By sharing our flight-level fuel burn data with IATA CO2 Connect, we’re enhancing the accuracy of CO2 emissions calculations and ensuring access, to reliable, clear information. It’s crucial for the entire industry to align on these standards, and collaboration is key,” said Carrie Harris, director of sustainability at British Airways.

Microsoft, extending its partnership with British Airways, will offer technical expertise and serve as an early tester of the CO2 Connect for Cargo platform.

“Industry collaboration is essential for the decarbonisation of aviation. Using CO2 Connect for Cargo will help Microsoft work with airlines to reduce emissions, make informed upstream investments with our partners, and purchase SAF and SAF certificates,” said Nico De Golia, director of sustainability for Microsoft Cloud Logistics.

“This announcement showcases the potential impact when companies work to build a strong data foundation, driving the key actions needed to achieve our shared sustainability goals.”

IATA CO2 Connect is a tool developed by the organisation to provide accurate and consistent carbon emissions calculations for air travel.

Launched in June 2022, it uses primary data from over 40 airlines, including flight-level fuel burn information, to offer precise emissions estimates for passenger flights.

The tool adheres to an industry-approved calculation methodology, IATA Recommended Practice 1678, and stands out from many other calculators by using real-world data rather than theoretical models for greater accuracy.

The announcement, made during the IATA World Sustainability Symposium in Miami, follows IATA’s March 2024 collaboration with the Smart Freight Centre on the same initiative, with the cargo-focused tool set to launch in early 2025, aiming to provide accurate emissions data to freight forwarders, airlines, and shippers.