Carbon registry Isometric has received approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to issue CO2 credits under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
With this landmark motion, Isometric can now offer verified carbon removal credits to airlines looking to meet their CORSIA obligations.
Backed by the UN, the CORSIA global framework requires airlines to offset their emissions from international flights that extend above 2019 levels through the use of verified carbon removal credits.
According to the International Air Transport Association, by 2050, airlines around the world will need a volume of around 500 million tonnes of carbon removals annually to be able to reach net-zero emissions.
Following a comprehensive ICAO evaluation process, Isometric was approved as part of a select group of registries recognized under the CORSIA framework due to its alignment with high standards for transparency, integrity, and scientific rigor.
This announcement comes after the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market approved six Isometric protocols for carbon credit issuance under the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label—with Isometric being the first and only registry to receive ICVCM approval for five of these pathways.
In the words of Lukas May, Chief Commercial Officer at Isometric, “ICAO’s approval opens new pathways to additional supply for the scheme.” He went on to add that this update gives airlines access to the most scientifically rigorous and transparent carbon credits available on the market.
Relevant: Gold Standard Marks Milestone With First CORSIA-Eligible Carbon Credits
British Airways stands out as the largest buyer of carbon removals in the UK, and its voluntary 2024 purchase of a range of CO2 removals also made it the largest airline purchaser in the world. By mid-century, the company expects that approximately one-third of its total emissions reductions will come from carbon removals.
Carrie Harris, British Airways’ Director of Sustainability, commented on Isometric’s ICAO approval as a “significant step, providing a credible pathway towards setting a long-term net-zero goal.” In her opinion, this move also creates a strong demand signal for carbon removal project developers and supports airlines in meeting their CORSIA obligations with credible carbon removals.
For Isometric, the approval comes a few days after the registry successfully issued the first verified carbon credits with automated data sharing via Certify’s Open API from Mangrove Systems’ digital tracking platform, significantly reducing the time needed for credit issuance.
As part of this milestone achievement, Isometric issued a total of 291 credits to Charm Industrial after Mangrove Systems’ dMRV platform automatically fed data from Charm’s operations to Isometric Certify for verification.
Read more: Japanese Airlines Mark First Public Carbon Credit Use Under CORSIA
