Thrust Carbon, BA and Microsoft onboard IATA CO2 Connect emissions calculator

September 27, 2024 in Business, Companies, Science and Technology, Transport by Editor

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), is enhancing the footprint and fidelity of its emissions calculation tool, IATA CO2 Connect, with new partnerships that have brought on board sustainability intelligence platform Thrust Carbon, British Airways, and global software behemoth Microsoft.

IATA announced the additions during its World Sustainability Symposium in Miami, on September 25. The agreement with Thrust Carbon will take effect in October 2024.

“The corporate travel sector needs accurate and comparable CO2 emissions calculations for its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) monitoring and reporting. By working with Thrust Carbon, we will respond to this important need with calculations based on actual operational data provided by a growing community of airlines,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President Commercial Products and Services.

IATA CO2 Connect emissions calculations are based on a globally accepted standardized methodology that uses airline operational (fuel burn) data. The calculations will be then provided to Thrust Carbon, who will process these according to their individual clients’ needs. Their client base covers mainly the corporate travel sector who will be incorporating these calculations into the flight selection process, as well as use them for ESG monitoring and reporting.

“As aviation’s main trade association, IATA has a long tradition in setting industry standards, and we are thrilled with the initiative they are taking towards achieving greater transparency and sustainability. As a result of our collaboration, our corporate customers can now have easier and wider access to the CO2 Connect methodology, including their data flowing in and out of every leading travel management company and expense platform. This enables more consistency for those customers, and the ability to accurately plan carrier and route changes to help meet reduction goals,” said Kit Aspen, Founder of Thrust Carbon.

On September 24, IATA announced similar collaborations with British Airways and Microsoft, aimed at further enhancing the accuracy of IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo in calculating carbon emissions.

British Airways will contribute flight-level fuel burn data of its approximately 700 daily flights to IATA CO2 Connect, while Microsoft will provide technical guidance.

“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, building on its relationship with British Airways, will also contribute to the development of IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo by providing technical guidance and by becoming one of the first pilot testers of the service.

“Industry collaboration is essential for the decarbonization 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.”

These developments build on the March 2024 announcement that IATA is working with the Smart Freight Centre (SFC) in the development IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo.

“Strong relationships, including those announced today with British Airways and Microsoft, will help make IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo a more powerful and more accurate tool. The world is watching as aviation progresses on the challenging journey of decarbonization. Transparency and accuracy—enhanced by these partnerships—are critical.  Our common aim is to have the most accurate data about aviation’s carbon emissions. That will help the industry’s customers in managing and reporting their carbon footprints and it will inform the many strategic decisions that airlines will need to make for their own decarbonization,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.

IATA CO2 Connect for Cargo will be available starting Q1 2025, distributed across quote & book systems, freight forwarders, shippers and airlines. It builds on the experience of IATA CO2 Connect which, was launched in June 2022 to provide accurate and consistent carbon emissions calculations for passenger flights. IATA CO2 Connect uses primary data from more than 40 airlines (including British Airways) and an industry- endorsed calculation methodology (IATA Recommended Practice 1678). This differentiates IATA CO2 Connect from most tools/calculators that feed from theoretical data models.